


you feel like home

by luversd



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, F/F, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Gay Panic, Home, Kissing, Living Together, No Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan, No Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Robin Hood, Panic Attacks, Slow Burn, Time Travel, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:29:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 38,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25805161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luversd/pseuds/luversd
Summary: When Zelena's time portal pulls Emma and Regina into the past, the pair have to figure out a way to get home to present-day Storybrooke without altering the timeline, and to each other as feelings are unravelled and friendships are tested.Or a slowburn SwanQueen ficAs mentioned in the tags: no CaptainSwan or OutlawQueen.(canon divergence from 3x21)
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan
Comments: 25
Kudos: 116





	1. home is ...

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own the characters. All mistakes are mine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> S3E21 Instead of Hook running after Emma, it's Regina.  
> Part of this chapter is taken from the show.  
> Also, Regina is still the mayor and Emma is still the sheriff.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Feedback is always appreciated! x

The potluck at Granny's / modern day version of the coronation ceremony was in full swing and everybody was having a good time. Henry, Ruby and Mary Margaret were seated in a booth, the newborn prince held in his mother's loving arms while David, Hook and Emma were crowding around the table. Henry was reading his grandparents' story to his uncle from the fairytale book and the couple in question jumped in to tell the group about their first meeting and how they fell in love, which inevitably led to the confession that the Prince had previously been betrothed.

'What can I say, my heart was destined for another,' David told them warmly.

'You just had to find her first,' Ruby teased. 'She ran away and was living on a farm,' she explained, smiling at the memory.

'Oh, it sounded like such a peaceful life at the time, leave everyone and everything behind,' Mary Margaret reminisced with a smile.

'Mmph, like mother like daughter,' Hook commented.

'Hook,' Emma warned, her arms crossed defensively over her chest.

'What is he talking about?' Henry asked curiously and that was when Hook seemed to realise his misstep.

'Uh, should we read more stories?' His grandfather suggested quickly, noticing the blond woman struggle with what to say.

A voice cut in before they had a chance to carry on. 'Actually, I'd like to know what the pirate _is_ talking about,' Regina wondered as she joined the group.

'It's nothing,' Emma dismissed, fully aware that the mayor wouldn't approve of her decision of taking their son back to New York.

'Are you planning on going back to New York?' The mayor questioned as if she had read her mind.

'Why would we go back to New York?' Henry asked.

Regina smiled at him reassuringly. 'You're not. Right, Miss Swan?'

The Saviour couldn't look her in the eye when she answered, 'actually, it's complicated.'

'Why would we leave? This is our home,' their son argued.

'Henry, this isn't the time or place,' his biological mother told him, putting the conversation off until a later time.

'I think it is,' Regina objected.

This time Emma met the other woman's gaze before she firmly said, 'no, it's not.' She put an end to the discussion by leaving the diner, seven pairs of eyes watching her as the bells by the door jingled.

'I'll talk to her,' Hook told them as he set his beer down on the table.

'No, I'll go,' Regina opposed, her gaze remaining on the entrance through which the blonde had exited.

'Wait, take this.' Her son handed her the fairytale book. 'It might help her remember where she belongs.'

His mother smiled at him. 'Thank you, Henry.'

* * *

Regina found Emma on a park bench, her legs crossed as she faced the pond.

'You're making a mistake,' she spoke as she approached the blonde.

'I don't want to talk to you about this.'

Regina huffed at her words, after all, they were talking about _their_ son. 'Don't listen to me, listen to our son.' She pulled the book out from her purse. 'He thought this might remind you of what you're leaving behind - your family.'

Emma stared at the older woman. 'Henry is my family and I am taking him where he is safe.'

The mayor shook her head. 'No, Miss Swan. The safety-first nonsense is just that. You defeated Pan, you broke the curse, and yet, you keep running.' She studied the blonde carefully before taking a seat beside her. 'What are you looking for, Miss Swan?'

'Home,' the other woman replied simply.

Regina pursed her lips at the unexpected honesty. 'And that's in New York?' She challenged. 'I have to say I did a great job in creating those memories if you consider it home, but none of that was real.'

'The last year was,' Emma insisted.

'They were false memories, it was based on magical nonsense,' the brunette pointed out.

'Now we have our memories back, now we can make it real,' the blonde countered.

'Why can't you do that here, with your entire family?'

Emma grabbed the book that was resting on Regina's lap. 'Because of this.' She opened it and stared at the pages. 'I don't see my family here. I see... fairytales, I see stories of princes and princesses. It's-, it's not me,' she stammered. 'I was never a part of any of this,' she reminded as she turned her gaze to the woman next to her.

'Then what are you a part of, Miss Swan?' Regina questioned.

The Saviour thought about it. 'Besides being with Henry, I don't think I've ever been a part of anything.'

That was a feeling Regina could relate to all too well. She looked into the green eyes as she spoke, 'but you could be.'

Emma's breath hitched at the prospect of being a part of something, a part of a family. She wondered if the mayor was talking about Mary Margaret, David and their newborn son or if she was talking about Henry and herself. Somehow the second option seemed more attractive considering the fact that for one, their son was a part of that equation and two, babies cry a lot. She sighed before closing the book and facing the other woman. 'Look, when I was a kid, I ran away. It's just what I did. But the first time I did it, I had the same exact thought. I wondered, "what if I'm making a mistake? What if I miss this place?".'

'Did you?'

The sheriff looked away. 'Not the first time. Not anytime.'

'So you just keep running,' Regina concluded, looking unimpressed.

There was a soft yet broken look in Emma's eyes when she returned her gaze to the mayor's face. 'I learned something a long time ago, Regina. Home is the place when you leave you just miss it. So yeah, I'm going to keep running until I feel that.'

'Let me ask you something, Miss Swan,' Regina started. 'How do you plan on finding a home if you never stay long enough in one place to build one? Something I've learned over the years is that home is not necessarily a place, but it is the people you love. Even if I could go back to my castle or to the house I grew up in as a child, neither of those will feel like home unless I have Henry by my side. The only reason I am able to call Storybrooke my home is because of the countless memories I made with my-, with _our_ son here. It wasn't always easy raising a child on my own, but we made it work. We built our home, our family, here and that was only possible because we stayed.'

There were unshed tears in Emma's eyes and she marvelled at the passion, the love, with which Regina spoke of their son. 'You're a good mother, Regina.'

The brunette was obviously caught off guard by the compliment. 'Thank you.'

'But we're still going back to New York,' the blonde continued. 'You should know emotional pep talks don't work on me.'

'Miss Swan-'

'I have to do what's right for Henry and me,' she interrupted.

' _Miss Swan,'_ Regina called out tightly. The woman in question shut her mouth and faced the former Evil Queen. 'Didn't your fiancé, Warren? Walsh?' She shook her head dismissively. 'Did he or did he not turn into a flying monkey back in New York?'

'He did,' Emma answered quietly.

The mayor nodded decisively as if she had just made her case. 'No matter where you go, danger will always follow you. Wouldn't it be better to stay in Storybrooke where you would at least have magic to protect Henry and yourself? Where _I_ would be to protect both of you?'

 _She does have a point_ , Emma thought to herself. If she couldn't escape her destiny and all the magical things that came with it, wasn't Storybrooke essentially the safest place for them to be?

At the lack of response, Regina figured the co-parent was considering her words so she went on. Who knows, maybe in a twist of fate, she might be the one to convince the Saviour to stick around for a while longer. 'And do you really think Henry will want to move to New York with you? You saw him back there, enthusiastic is not the word I would use to describe his reaction to your plan, Miss Swan.'

'I'm his mother and I'm doing what's best for him,' Emma retorted confidently.

The brunette raised an eyebrow. 'You seem to have forgotten who raised him during his first ten years after _you_ gave him up,' she noted, a touch of coldness present in her voice. 'He remembers everything. Do you really believe he would be willing to leave his family, his _mother,_ behind just because you're too scared to admit you might've found everything you've been looking for?'

'He'll manage just fine,' the sheriff bit back. The mayor had unintentionally, but successfully hit a sensitive nerve.

Regina scoffed. 'I'd be offended had I not been aware of your complicated past. Needless to say, a child grows attached to its parent during the first years of its life, Miss Swan. If a child is securely attached to its parent, which is the case with Henry and me, then said child will use that parent as a secure base in times of distress,' she explained shortly. 'Henry needs me as much as he needs you.'

Emma wore a confused expression. 'Where did you learn that, 'Psychology For Dummies'?'

Displeasure at the subtle jab was written all over the mayor's face. 'I read that when I was taking care of a baby Henry, dear. I've changed every diaper, soothed every fever, endured every tantrum. You may have given birth to him, but he is _my_ son just as well as he is yours. You do not get to make the decision to take him away from me.'

The Saviour didn't offer a verbal response. Instead her mind flashed back to a conversation she had had with the same mayor a few years ago where she specifically mentioned she had no intention of taking Henry away from anyone. Suddenly she felt guilty because Regina was right, _again_. Most of the memories she had of Henry growing up were fake, she hadn't been around when he was a toddler but Regina had. She knew him better than anyone else and most certainly better than she did. She heard the brunette sigh beside her and she turned her head to watch her speak.

'I didn't come here to fight, Miss Swan,' Regina started, although it sounded like she was also trying to convince herself of the fact. 'You're his biological mother and obviously I will never be able to fill your shoes. That means our son needs us both. You grew up without both your parents and it was out of your control. This time you do get to have a say in it, don't let him grow up without one of his parents. Of course, if you insist on going to New York and taking him with you, by all means, I won't stop you but _only_ if Henry decides to do so on his own accord. Although I must advise you, Miss Swan, don't make him choose.'

'Why? Because he'll choose to stay here instead?' Emma asked almost hostilely.

'No, because he'll pick you and he will have to live with that guilt for the rest of his life,' the other mother answered with a sad smile.

'I'll think about it,' the blonde promised when something caught her eye. 'What the hell is _that_?' She asked, her attention was now on the light beam coming from somewhere behind the forest.

Regina followed her gaze. 'I have no idea,' she admitted.

'I'm checking it out,' Emma decided as she stood up from the bench.

The brunette closed her eyes and huffed in annoyance at the woman's instinct to dive headfirst into danger. 'Miss Swan,' she called out as she hurried after the blonde and stuffed the storybook back into her purse. 'Whatever's going in on there, it can't be good,' she observed once they had reached the source of the beam.

'It's Zelena's time portal, David left a message,' the sheriff updated. 'Somehow she died and triggered it.'

Regina paused her steps as they approached the barn and Emma looked back at her before remembering who she was talking about. 'I'm sorry, Regina.'

The other woman glanced at her. 'What for? I barely knew the woman except for the fact that she wanted to rip my heart out. She may be my half-sister but it's unlikely that I'm going to miss her. No, I was thinking that when she died, the magic in her pendant had no tether, it was set free - her last wish fulfilled.'

Emma groaned. 'Why couldn't her last wish have been that everyone in Storybrooke gets a happy ending? That would've made our lives so much easier.'

Regina raised an amused eyebrow at the blonde before it quickly turned into a frown. 'What are you doing?' She questioned, grabbing the other woman's arm as she started to walk towards the wooden door.

'We have to stop this thing,' the sheriff replied, feeling confused as to why Regina of all people was stopping her.

'Do you have your magic back? Because mine alone won't be enough to close the portal,' the brunette argued.

'No,' Emma admitted.

'There's your answer. We should head back to safety before it sucks us in,' Regina advised, ready to turn around and head back to the sheriff's station.

'And leave a giant time portal in the middle of Storybrooke?'

'How do you propose we handle this, Miss Swan? I'm open to suggestions. There isn't much we can do at this moment, dear,' Regina pointed out.

Emma nodded reluctantly and took a step to join the other woman's side when the barn door flew open and both ladies were sucked into the magical portal.

'Hold on!' Regina yelled as she used her magic to keep them from falling off the edge.

Emma felt her hand slip in Regina's. 'I can't!'

By the time the mayor turned her gaze to the blonde, Emma was already falling through the portal. Without giving it a second thought, she let go of the last tether keeping her from tumbling into the portal and braced herself for the hard landing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi on Tumblr: @luversd


	2. time-travelling mums

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fairytale land plot is based on S4E21 'Mother' (spoilers for that episode).  
> Hope you enjoy it!

Both women groaned as they slowly picked themselves up from the ground.

'Regina?' Emma asked with surprise in her voice. 'What are you doing here?'

The brunette dusted off the dirt from her clothes and stood straight. 'Well, someone had to warn you not to announce your presence here, whenever we are,' she replied as she gestured to their surroundings. 'After all, messing with events could do untold damage to _all_ of us.'

'What about Henry?'

'What about him?' She raised an eyebrow in confusion.

'He'll lose both of us, he'll be an orphan,' Emma said, looking panicked.

'Not if we return to the exact moment we fell through the portal. It will be as if we never even left.' Regina sighed at the blonde's lack of knowledge concerning time travel even though this was the first time it had actually been done. 'I wouldn't have followed you through the portal if I wasn't sure we would be able to return to our world without disturbing the timeline. I know this land like the back of my hand, Miss Swan and believe it or not, I _do_ want you around for Henry's sake,' she spoke swiftly and by the way she was scouring the woods around them, the confession regarding her wish to keep the Swan woman safe hurt her pride a little bit. 

Emma smiled at the unexpected soft side the mayor was showing towards her. 'You went from trying to poison me to wanting to save my life. That is called growth,' she declared with pride.

The ruler responded by rolling her eyes. 'It seems we have landed in the Enchanted Forest,' she noted.

The blonde joined her side. 'The question is when?'

'There's a clearing up ahead and I hear voices. If you can strike up a conversation with one of those peasants and figure out what's been happening recently, we might be able to deduce when we have landed,' Regina told her as they quietly walked towards the edge of the woods.

'Aren't you coming with me?'

The brunette raised an eyebrow at the sheriff. 'Because it wouldn't be weird at all that the Evil Queen isn't aware of every coming and going in her kingdom?'

'You have magic, you can use a disguising spell or something,' Emma pointed out.

'I haven't mastered that particular spell yet,' Regina admitted, her cheeks reddening slightly in embarrassment.

'Fine, I'll go alone, but if I die, I'm going to come back and haunt you,' the blonde warned.

'Don't be so dramatic,' the mayor patronised although the small smile tugging at her lips showed she didn't mean it. 'I'll cover you. If you die, then I die by the hands of your entire family.'

The smile on the blonde's face turned into a frown when she noticed the change of costumes the other woman had come up with.

'Is this necessary?' She asked as she studied the simplistic outfit covering her body. 'And why are you dressed like me? Aren't you the Evil Queen?' She noticed the brunette wearing similar clothing.

'I need to blend in with the crowd so my past self will never know I was here,' Regina explained as they crossed the road and slowly approached the group of people on the meadow.

Suddenly the woman stopped walking and paled visibly. Emma furrowed her brows. 'Regina? Is something wrong? Are you going to faint? Because it looks like you've seen a ghost.'

The mayor tilted her head at the accurate description before she grabbed the blond woman's arm. 'Nothing of the sorts, but I think I figured out when we are. Get down,' she ordered as they crouched down in the bushes nearby.

'What-'

Emma heard rather than saw the answer before she could finish her question. A black carriage appeared into view a few moments later, pulled by four horses of the same colour.

'Stop the carriage!' A familiar voice ordered.

The blonde watched carefully as the Evil Queen stepped out of her carriage in her midnight blue royal attire and the people halted their conversations, wondering why the royalty had decided to join their party.

'Good day, citizens,' the Evil Queen greeted and Emma was surprised to see the warm smile on her face. 'Enjoying the meadow?'

'Indeed, it seemed perfect for our wedding ceremony,' one of the men answered.

'It is lovely,' the Queen concurred. 'But see, the thing is, _these_ are part of the royal lands, and I don't recall giving you permission to marry here.'

'We didn't know,' a younger man told her apologetically. 'We had just-'

Suddenly, the Evil Queen reached into the young man's chest and ripped his heart out.

'Your Majesty,' her father quickly cut in, having accompanied the Queen on her unplanned pit stop. 'Could you be overreacting because of what day it is?'

'Don't talk to me about this day, daddy,' past Regina commanded.

'But you need the support of your citizens, your Majesty. To alienate them would be shortsighted and weak,' her father warned with a hushed voice. 

'I'm not weak!' The Evil Queen yelled and Emma startled at the sudden outburst. 'I was going to spare you, but someone just made me angry,' she spoke with a wicked smile as she returned her gaze on the young man before she crushed the beating heart in her hand.

Emma's breath caught at the cruel action and when she turned to the woman beside her questioningly, she saw her clenching her jaw tightly. The blonde was vaguely aware that the Evil Queen had spoken again before she took her leave, but her attention was on the Regina she had grown to know over the past few years.

'How-,' she wondered with disbelief, 'they were just celebrating their marriage, their love.'

Regina swallowed visibly before she said coolly, 'save your moral judgement, Miss Swan. You should know well enough who you're dealing with by now, or have you forgotten that I'm the Evil Queen?'

'Don't do that,' Emma pleaded.

'Do what?' The brunette asked coldly, standing up and stepping out of their hiding place once the poor people had left the field to return home. 'Be myself? I do hope this is not the kind of life lessons you're teaching our son, Miss Swan.'

'Don't act like being evil is your default. You've changed, Regina,' the co-parent clarified, following the mayor out of the bushes.

'Have I? Because nobody in Storybrooke seems to believe that's the case,' Regina reminded. She shook her head dismissively. 'Discussing this is pointless. At least we know for sure what today's date is. But, there's only one person who can help us get back home...'

'Mr. Gold,' Emma deduced with a sigh.

'Rumplestiltskin, yes.'

'Then let's go find him.'

Regina took a step forward before she looked over her shoulder. 'Oh, and Miss Swan. Try not to get captured by my former self. As you saw, she's not having the best day today.'

Emma nodded and frowned slightly at the understatement. 'Hey,' she called out, remembering something. 'What did your father mean when he said you could be overreacting because of what day it is?'

'I can assure you, Miss Swan, that whatever my father said is irrelevant to our mission. The only thing that matters, is that I know exactly where that imp will be in two hours. I suggest we pick up the pace if we don't want to miss him,' the mayor instructed.

* * *

'Do my eyes deceive me, or is it the Evil Queen I see before me? So fair but not the fairest, and so weak without her mother dearest?' Rumplestiltskin rhymed in a singsong manner once he saw the two ladies approach him during his weekly trip to the forest, scouring for ingredients to use in his potions.

'Peasant doesn't suit you, dearie,' the Dark One commented as he waved his hand to dress the royalty with an outfit that fitted her title.

Regina sighed annoyingly and changed back into the dull clothing she had been wearing before.

'Ooh, she wears that voluntarily,' the man noticed excitedly. 'This should be interesting.'

'I need to keep my presence unnoticed to keep the timeline unchanged,' Regina explained. 'We're from the future and we need your help getting back, Rumple.'

Suddenly she felt a force wrap itself around her neck and choke her while her feet lifted off the ground. 'Liar! Time travel hasn't been done yet!' Rumplestiltskin argued, refusing to believe her.

'She's telling the truth,' Emma cut in quickly, hoping she could convince the Dark One to let her go. 'Someone's cracked that code. You have to listen to us.'

'And why would I listen to you?' The man wondered, obviously enjoying the power he had over the Queen.

'Because if you don't, you'll never see your son again,' the blonde revealed. It took a moment for her words to sink in, but when they did, Rumplestiltskin released his hold on Regina.

'Regina!' Emma called out worriedly, making a move to help the gasping woman to her feet but the mayor stopped her before she could by raising her hand and telling her she was fine.

'What do you know of my son?' Rumplestiltskin asked suspiciously.

The sheriff returned her attention to the man standing before her. 'His name is Baelfire,' she started. 'You're planning to enact a curse in hopes of reuniting with him.'

'Who told you that? The Evil Queen?' He questioned, throwing a distasteful glance to the woman in question.

'No. I'm the one who breaks the curse so that you can find him. I'm the product of true love,' Emma replied, looking as though she was also having a hard time believing her own words.

The Dark One frowned. 'But that's speculation... part of my plans, but I haven't done it.'

'You will, and you will succeed,' the blonde revealed.

Rumplestiltskin thought about her reply. 'Answer me one question,' he started. 'Do I find my son?'

Emma hesitated and behind her Regina swallowed visibly, the loss of the future Baelfire was still fresh in their memory.

'Answer me!' Regina instinctively took a protective step forward and gave the Dark One a warning look.

'Y-yes,' she stammered.

Rumplestiltskin's face contorted into a hopeful smile. 'Bae. I find Bae. How?'

The blonde opened her mouth to answer his question but he cut her off before she could. 'Eh! Don't tell me. If I succeeded, I don't want anything in my head that might throw it off.'

'Enough chitchatting,' Regina ordered. 'Can you help us get back to the future or not?'

Emma was paying attention to the conversation, she really was, but she couldn't help but think that being stuck in the past with a person who had just made two references to the iconic film without even knowing it was a curse in itself.

'I might,' was Rumplestiltskin's helpful reply that echoed in her ears.

'What's your price?' The mayor asked, having known the imp long enough that he wasn't going to help them out of the goodness of his heart.

'A single tear... from the Evil Queen,' he giggled and mock curtsied to the royalty.

'Can't you just make her cut an onion or something?' Emma asked and although that was definitely not how magic worked, Regina appreciated the sentiment that the blonde didn't want her to suffer.

'No, dearie. I need a tear that has been shed in moments of great despair,' Rumplestiltskin instructed joyfully. 'Worry not, if you really _are_ from the future, I suspect her Majesty will know exactly when to strike.'

The Swan woman crossed her arms. 'And what do you need her tear for? Other than to prove that you're a sadistic, magic wielding psychopath?'

'Potions!' The Dark One exclaimed with a giggle and a hand gesture. 'You underestimate the power of true pain, of real loss, dearie. Does she not?' He turned his head to the brunette who stared back at him with a cold glare.

'I wouldn't know,' Regina answered and Emma raised an eyebrow, even without her superpower she would've known the mayor was lying.

'You won't mind me calling you a liar then, dearie, because everyone here knows you're not telling the truth,' Rumplestiltskin replied with a grin.

'We will get you a real single tear from the Evil Queen and you will help us get back home. Do we have a deal?' Regina verified, her voice was devoid of emotion.

'We do! Now off you go, you know where to find me when you have what I want,' the Dark One told them, motioning them to leave.

'Do we?' Emma asked the older woman once they were on their way.

'Do we what, Miss Swan?' Regina responded tiredly.

'Know where to find him?'

'Why, his castle of course.'

'Right. I'll just search for 'Rumplestiltskin's castle' in Google Maps and go wherever it leads me,' the blonde said. 'It was a joke,' she added when she didn't receive a reaction from the woman next to her.

'Obviously.'

They walked in silence, or at least, that was what Regina would've preferred to have done but it seemed the sheriff had a pathological need to fill those peaceful, quiet moments.

'You know, Miss Swan,' Regina started when she finally entered the conversation and effectively turned it into a dialogue rather than a monologue. 'I never noticed how much you loved to talk, but now that I do, I have to say, it's getting on my nerves.'

'The purpose of my existence is to get on your nerves, so I'll take that as a compliment,' Emma teased.

'It wasn't,' the brunette deadpanned and stopped walking.

The sheriff followed her gaze. 'Your castle,' she noted. 'I'm guessing you know how to get us in there without being caught?'

'We can go through the tunnels,' Regina told her, making sure there was no one around before turning back to the other woman. 'The entrance is hidden over there, we're going to have to make a run for it. Are you ready?'

Emma nodded and both ladies took off to the seemingly normal castle wall. Regina quickly cast a spell, revealing the hidden doorway. Once they were safely inside, she recast the concealment spell so her past self wouldn't suspect anything.

Emma had slowly descended the stairs and looked around the dark tunnel.

'Be careful,' Regina warned as she followed her down the steps and she quickly grabbed the blonde's arm when she was about to reach the ground. The mayor nodded towards the spot where Emma's feet would've have landed and the other woman gave her a look of disbelief.

'Seriously? You boobytrapped a tunnel no one knows about expect for you?' The sheriff asked. 'That's a whole other level of paranoia, even for you, Regina.'

The brunette shot her a glare before she joined her on the last step. The stairwell was extremely narrow and the women had to face each other to make enough room for the both of them.

'This is... cosy,' Emma muttered.

'We need to jump give of take a meter. Think you can manage that?' Regina didn't wait for a reply before she leapt off the stairs and landed on safe ground.

'Piece of cake.' The Saviour ended up next to other woman.

'Miss Swan,' the mayor spoke seriously, her eyes gazing farther down the tunnel. 'I need you to step where I step and when I tell you to do so.'

'Yes, Your Majesty.' The mocking tone was unmissable in Emma's voice, but she quickly added, 'for real, I'll do exactly as you say. I trust you, Regina.'

'I just needed your obedience, not your trust, Miss Swan,' Regina commented indifferently before she started the journey to the other side.

'Can't you just magically poof us into your castle?' Emma huffed as she ducked low like Regina had done to avoid the plate full of spikes that stopped its fall right above her head.

'I could if I knew where each of my guards were positioned at the moment. Otherwise it would be a suicide mission,' the mayor lectured calmly.

'I'm supposed to believe this is the safest way to get in?' The blonde questioned incredulously.

'This _is_ the safest possible route we can take. As long as you know where to step, this is like giving you a free pass into my castle,' Regina refuted. 'We're almost there so you can quit your whining, Miss Swan.'

'Christ, how long did it take us to get to the other side?' Emma wondered as she crossed the last obstacle and joined the still impeccably poised mayor by the locked door. 'An hour?'

'Ten minutes.'

The blonde wiped the sweat off her brows and frowned. 'Really? It sure felt longer...'

The brunette carefully placed her hand on the doorknob and waited for a reaction from the inanimate object. When nothing too disastrous happened, she opened the door and entered the stairway.

'Don't touch the door unless you want me to return you to our son as a pile of ash,' Regina warned, adding 'blood-magic' as an explanation when she saw the horrified look on the other woman's face.

The pair sneaked through the endless maze of hallways, dodging guards left and right as they made their way to the Evil Queen's chambers.

'I should be outside with the fake Robin right now but we don't have much time,' Regina deduced.

'Alright.' Emma nodded before she raised an eyebrow out of curiosity. 'We don't have much time to do what exactly?'

'Search for the single tear. I should have one stored in a vial somewhere,' the brunette instructed.

'I'm sorry, you literally saved your tears for later?' The sheriff echoed. 'And I thought I was messed up...'

'I heard that, Miss Swan. I will have you know that storing my tears actually has a purpose, whilst your coping mechanism of running away every time you get scared, does not,' Regina pointed out as she checked the contents of a drawer before closing it.

'What's with the shade, fam?'

Regina frowned in confusion. 'What shade? Have you forgotten that we're currently inside a castle, Miss Swan?'

Emma shook her head. 'Never mind.' 

Fifteen minutes had gone by and the search had left the women empty handed.

'Now what?'

'Now we wait. I'll be back soon and when I cry, that's when you come in and steal a tear,' Regina planned emotionlessly as they headed to the balcony and hid behind the wall beside the open door.

'So, what do you think happened with the tear?' Emma asked once they had settled on the floor, trying to make conversation as they waited for past Regina to return.

'My mother probably stole it for her own use,' the brunette replied absentmindedly.

The blonde sat back pensively. 'Sheesh, no wonder I've never seen you cry. Your tears are worth a lot.'

Regina turned her gaze to the woman beside her and raised an eyebrow. 'You of all people should know how powerful pain can be, Miss Swan.'

Emma nodded mindlessly before her brain processed her words. 'Powerful as in someone's pain can help you achieve great things or as in it can hurt like a bitch?'

The mayor pursed her lips at the particular word choice but refrained from commenting on it. Instead, she answered with 'both'.

Emma was still thinking about the unconventional view on pain when the other woman called her name.

'Miss Swan,' Regina repeated impatiently and elbowed the blonde for good measure.

'No need to be violent,' the sheriff muttered but nonetheless, she faced the brunette.

The older woman ignored her complaint. 'My mother and I will have a chat, but she will leave soon after. That'll be your chance to get a tear and put it in this vial.' She handed her a small, empty bottle she had taken from her own potions box. 'I'll tell you when you can go inside, and remember, we can't let my mother see you. We're already taking a huge risk by letting you interact with my past self.'

'Alright. And if you ask me how the hell I ended up on your balcony, what do I say?'

'That you climbed the castle walls, I don't know,' Regina told her with a shrug.

'What do you mean 'you don't know'? Need I remind you that one wrong word out of my mouth could lead to my death?' Emma asked frantically.

'I mean, I won't be in the mood to question _how_ you got here. I will be more interested in why you're in my castle on this particular day and how I can get rid of you,' the brunette assured.

'So, you're not going to fireball me on the spot?'

'I can't guarantee that I won't,' Regina denied much to the sheriff's unease. 'Just say you know about Daniel and I probably won't shoot fire at you.'

'Probably?' Emma parroted anxiously before she remembered something. 'Daniel? He was your first love, right?'

The mayor clenched her jaw and internally debated if she should answer the question before she sighed. Knowing the blonde, there was a 90 percent chance that she would say something to offend the Evil Queen if she didn't know the full story. That probability decreased to a moderate 80 percent if she did tell her what happened to her lover which was a considerable win, if you took into account the 100 percent chance of offensive words coming from the sheriff's mouth in their day-to-day life.

'He was a stable boy,' she started, taking the other woman by surprise at the sudden openness she was displaying. 'I didn't care about his status, but my mother did. Our relationship was covert, but one day Snow - your mother - saw us kissing, right when I had been expected to marry her father. She told my mother who then came to the stables and ripped Daniel's heart out of his chest before she crushed it in her hand.'

'I'm sorry, Regina.' Emma looked genuinely shocked and apologetic. 'That's messed up. I didn't know... and Snow. God, now I understand why you wanted to kill her, and me.'

Regina shook her head. 'It's fine. She thought she was doing the right thing. She couldn't have known my mother was a heartless bitch.'

Emma didn't know what stunned her into silence, the fact that Regina had seemingly let go of her vendetta against Snow or that Regina-madam Mayor-Mills had just cursed at her own mother. Despite the 'I'm fine' the mayor had uttered, her tense physique all but disagreed with her statement. However, the blonde bit her tongue, knowing that it wasn't the right moment to point that out. 

Regina didn't seem to take notice of her speechlessness. 'Today is the anniversary of his death, but that's not why I'm going to shed some tears,' she informed softly, her eyes unable to meet the green eyes belonging to the co-parent. She didn't elaborate further and Emma figured she was about to find out soon enough.

'Alright,' the sheriff affirmed gently in a tone that let the brunette know that no matter what happened next, there would be no judgement on her part. 'Do we have a plan B in case something goes wrong?' To assume that things will go exactly as planned would be a sign of idiocy, that much Emma knew. Even though the former royalty beside her had a tendency of _making_ things go her way, Emma had the opposite effect on any event. She was certain that her bad luck would overcome any magical tricks Regina had up her sleeve.

The troubled look on Regina's face did nothing to subdue the nerves she was feeling in her stomach. 'It's more like an Idea B,' she offered. 'I'm not sure it'll work, but it's worth a shot. Let's just make sure Plan A goes according to plan.' She made a face at the unintentional pun and Emma had to hold back her snigger.

Suddenly, the pair heard an unmistakeable 'woosh' followed by a familiar click of heels pacing around the room. Regina quickly placed a finger on her red lips, silencing the other woman in the process, and pointed to herself, the Evil Queen had returned to her chamber.

Emma's eyes widened at the realisation that they had managed to implement their plan successfully, she never should've doubted her she thought to herself fondly. She met the other woman's gaze and Regina also looked rattled by the fact that their scheme had been set into motion. The situation was extremely delicate, one word could start a chain reaction and create a new reality where Emma, where _Henry_ hadn't been born. As fate would have it, the only happy ending Regina had ever known now rested in the hands of the Saviour, and if she was being honest with herself, there was no one else she trusted more to handle the matter. After all, Emma's own life was at stake. Regina wasn't ready, she didn't think anyone could ever be prepared to relive one of the worst days of their life, but she didn't have a choice, not this time. The warm spring breeze offered some comfort and she closed her eyes, it was showtime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos? Comment? Please? (If the chapter was worth it!) Either way, thanks for reading!  
> I'm on Tumblrrrr: @luversd


	3. the second first meeting

Emma and Regina sat patiently on the floor, waiting as the time ticked by slowly. The blonde strained her ears as she listened carefully to every little sound, attempting to piece together a mental film of what was happening on the other side of the wall they were hiding behind. She heard the clinking of glass and wondered what potion the Evil Queen was making. When her gaze fell on her time travelling companion, she didn't expect to see the brunette looking like she was going to be sick. Unable to move or to speak, Emma did the only thing she could do, she placed her hand on Regina's thigh, startling the woman a bit but receiving a small smile in return nonetheless.

'So, how did it go? He's not still here, is he?'

Cora's voice hadn't been unexpected but it still took Emma by surprise. She listened to the exchange between mother and daughter about the fake Robin Hood Cora had sent the Queen's way.

'You were never interested in my happiness,' past Regina accused calmly.

'You'll never be happy, you don't know how but you do understand power and you're about to lose it. Your people want Snow White to be queen and unless you start building a dynasty, she'll take back the kingdom and you'll lose it all,' her mother warned.

'And when I die of a mysterious illness, you're the power behind the child sized throne, right? Well, guess what, Mother, I found a way to keep that from ever happening.' Emma could practically hear the wicked smile painted on the Evil Queen's lips.

'What is that?' The blonde assumed the parent was referring to the liquid the Queen had been making.

'A potion, to take away your future claim on the royal line,' the Evil Queen declared proudly.

'But you're not pregnant,' Cora countered.

'And now I never will be. I won't be a baby mill for you, Mother.' Regina's words hit close to home. Emma was all too familiar with the feeling of being used by people who were supposed to care for you and her sympathy for the Evil Queen grew with every passing second.

Cora scoffed unbelievingly. 'You'd never do that. This is a sham.'

'Is it? You made it clear you don't think anyone's going to love me. So why not make it official? After all, _love is weakness_ ,' the Evil Queen mocked and the sheriff could feel the pain that was carefully concealed underneath the blunt words and derisive tone. If her own mother didn't believe she could be loved, then what chance did she have at a happy ending?

'I was wrong about that. The man... I really thought he was a good match. I'm very sorry,' her mother apologised, sounding genuine for once. 'Now, we both know you're not going to drink that, so put it down and we can fix this,' she ordered.

'You don't think I'm strong enough to do this?' Past Regina questioned quietly.

'Stupid girl,' her mother cursed impatiently. 'You think it'll make you strong to hurt yourself?'

'Oh, it does if it hurts you more,' the Queen replied breathlessly.

The soft sound of liquid passing down the brunette's throat filled the room followed by a tense silence. Suddenly the ruler stumbled backwards and landed on the long chair behind her.

'Get the hell out of my life,' she screamed at her mother.

'Oh, Regina.'

The Evil Queen groaned as the potion worked its magic in her body and beside her, Emma noticed the brunette clutch her stomach as if she was in pain, which wouldn't surprise her if she were. Just by witnessing the heartbreaking moment, Emma felt a pressure in her abdomen. She couldn't imagine what Regina was feeling right now.

'I really did come here to help you,' Cora swore over the gasps and sniffles coming from her daughter. ' _I love you_. I wanted you to have a child for your own sake. If I wanted to take your power, I'd find a much more direct way. Now, please take one last piece of motherly advice, I hope you learn what it's taken me a lifetime to realise about myself. The only one standing in the way of your happiness is you.'

'Go back to Wonderland, Mother,' the Evil Queen snarled. 'I don't need you.'

With the company gone, the ruler's quiet sobs filled the room. It took a moment before Regina gently tapped on the blonde's leg: it was time.

Emma nodded and got up to her feet before she took a deep breath. _Here goes nothing_ , her battle mantra echoed through her mind, although not the most inspirational, it seemed to describe her feelings accurately.

She entered into the Queen's chamber and it only took a split second for the woman in question to snap her head up to glare at the intruder.

'Who are you and how did you get in here?' The Evil Queen questioned, her tone bordering on boredom but still commanding authority like the royalty she was.

'My name is Leia,' Emma lied, lifting her hands up as a show of amity. As a response to the second question, she nodded towards the balcony before she verbalised her answer. 'I climbed the castle walls.'

The other woman studied her with teary eyes before she casually created a fireball in her hand. 'Your body language is telling me you came in peace yet the only thing I hear coming out of your mouth are lies. So, I'm going to ask you again, who are you and _why_ are you here? And this time you better speak the truth,' she warned.

'Alright, alright,' the blonde conceded. 'My name is Emma, and I'm a friend of Daniel's.' She took a careful step forward. 'It's his death anniversary today and I thought you could use a friend.'

It was obvious that the Evil Queen didn't believe her and Emma had to admit it did look suspicious that a complete stranger would go through all the effort of climbing up a castle just to comfort Her Majesty.

'Prove to me that you were really Daniel's friend and I might just spare you, Em-ma,' the Queen said, trying out the unfamiliar name on her tongue.

The Saviour thought about what Regina had told her before the meeting and guessed, 'he was the stable boy so when your parents were around, you would treat him as such and snap at him on occasions but when you were alone, that was when the real magic happened.' It wouldn't surprise her if that was an accurate depiction of their relationship. Having experienced Regina's secret keeping skills firsthand, she knew not to underestimate the lengths to which she would go to keep things hidden from the world. The Evil Queen quirked an eyebrow at the the familiar memory and it was so subtle Emma almost missed it. _Almost_. Taking it as a sign that she was on the right track, she tried to put herself in Daniel's shoes. If she were him, how would she have felt? How would Regina have felt?

'He loved it when you acted cold in front of your parents. It was like your own little secret and your mother had no idea,' Emma imagined easily. 'Or so he told me,' she quickly added.

The suspicious frown that appeared on the queen's face worried the sheriff and she prayed she didn't screw up already.

'Really? I can distinctly remember Daniel wanting us to go public with our relationship,' the royalty countered with crossed arms.

Emma thought fast. 'Of course, he wanted to show you off. You can't blame him, how a stable boy like him managed to score a beautiful woman like you is still beyond me, and he couldn't believe it either,' she said with a chuckle, as if she had actually had this conversation with her dead lover. 'But that didn't take away the fact that he enjoyed every moment with you, even the ones where you had to act like strangers.'

Regina considered her words. 'If you were really Daniel's friend as you claim to be, then how come I've never heard of you, Emma?'

The blonde feigned embarrassment. 'I asked him not to mention me. Given your mother's... skills, I didn't want you to have knowledge of my existence should things go wrong.'

The Evil Queen raised an eyebrow at her reasoning. All things considered, she couldn't deny that it was a smart plan. After all, her own behaviour had become unpredictable and who knows what she or her mother would've done to any acquaintances of her lover.

She nodded, finally accepting the fact that the woman in front of her was who she said she was and stood up with her head held high. 'Why are you here? Why now?'

Emma studied the brunette's face that was within arm's reach. Somehow it felt like she was seeing her for the first time. Regina's beauty was undeniable and Emma wondered how she had missed it for so long. Remembering that the Queen was still waiting for her reply, she cracked a smile and said, 'well, you're not the most approachable person in the world, Regina.'

The Evil Queen took a menacing step forward. 'That's a bit informal, wouldn't you say? Show some respect. It's 'Your Majesty',' she corrected but her voice lacked the authoritative tone it usually had.

'I'm sorry, Your Majesty,' the Saviour apologised. 'Listen, if you want to kick me out, be my guest, this is your castle. But given today's date and the fact that you were having a disagreement with your mother before I came in, I'd say you're not having the best day.'

The brunette narrowed her eyes. 'How much did you hear?'

Emma gulped nervously. 'Enough. You can't have kids of your own,' she summarised. Saying it out loud only made it real and the truth saddened her because she knew what a wonderful mother Regina was to Henry and having the choice of bearing a child taken away from her was a burden she knew the brunette would take to her grave.

The tears in the Evil Queen's brown eyes had been expected, Emma's own blurry vision hadn't been. Whether it was human instinct or her body moving on autopilot to complete the mission they had come here for in the first place that directed her next move, the blonde didn't know. Either way her thumb quickly wiped the tear from the ruler's cheek before she wrapped her arms around the other woman, dropping the single tear in the vial literally behind her back. Regina was stiff and clearly had no idea how to respond to such uninvited, but warm affection. The hug was awkward and both women felt unsettled after they had pulled apart but Emma couldn't help the small smile on her lips at the realisation that the Queen looked just as lost as her in that moment. There was a first time for everything, she mused.

'If word gets out that I am unable to carry a child, I will know that it was either you or my mother who had a loose tongue. I don't care which one of you it was, I will kill you both. Understood?' The Evil Queen's superior attitude had returned.

'It's alright, Regina. Your Royal Highness. Your Majesty,' Emma stumbled over her words as she tried to find the right title to address the royalty with. Too busy blushing at her own mistake, she didn't notice the small smile on the Queen's red lips. 'You can trust me. I won't tell anyone. It's not my story to tell anyway.'

'Good,' the brunette spoke curtly.

'I have to leave, I'm on dinner duty tonight. But before I go, I just wanted to say that Daniel would've wanted you to be happy, so if there's anything that brings you joy, then do it,' Emma encouraged.

The Evil Queen raised an eyebrow and smiled wickedly. 'Ruining Snow White's happiness brings me joy. Are you saying I should do that?'

The Saviour froze for a moment. Morally speaking, giving someone the green light to torment your mother should be a definite no-go, however not doing that could result in her not being born and by extension, Henry not being born. Whatever pain Regina was going through, Emma knew that not having Henry in her life would be far worse, so she did what any other person would've done in her shoes. She said, 'I'm not here to derail your plans.'

'Good, because I was going to do it regardless of what you said,' the ruler pointed out.

'Awesome,' Emma muttered. 'Are you going to show me to the door or should I just leave the same way I came in?'

The Evil Queen huffed. 'I suppose I could save you the trouble since you did make me feel less upset.'

The blonde smiled widely for two reasons. One, future Regina will be able to make her getaway safely and two because she had managed to offer the woman some form of comfort. 'Are you saying I made you feel better?'

'Don't flatter yourself,' was the Queen's reply as she strutted out of the room, wordlessly beckoning the other woman to follow her.

* * *

'Regina!' Emma whispered as she called for the other woman. The Evil Queen had mercifully walked her out of her castle and the blonde made a beeline to the Enchanted Forest, presuming that that was where her time travelling companion was hiding.

'Regina!' She repeated more forcefully. The familiar fear of being left behind started to bubble in her chest and Emma felt like a child again.

'Why don't you shout a little louder, I don't think Peter Pan heard you from his island _a world away_.' Emma could picture the eye roll that accompanied the statement perfectly without facing the brunette.

She turned around and met the brown eyes that were staring at her curiously. 'I thought you had left,' she admitted.

The small smirk on Regina's face turned into a frown. She knew not to take the comment personally. In fact, it said more about the blonde than herself, still she felt a pant of sympathy for the woman in front of her. 'I would never,' she reassured softly.

The Saviour gave her unbelieving look. 'You would never deviate from the group plan to form your own plan which usually involves you sacrificing yourself to save the others? Right, because that's _unheard of_ ,' she said sarcastically.

Regina raised an eyebrow in amusement. Oh, how she wished she could hold a mirror up to the blonde right now. Instead she shook her head. 'I would never leave you,' she clarified. 'Unless I'm not in control of my body or my mind. Then I might,' she added as an afterthought.

'Oh.' The sheriff's mind was reeling from the sudden tenderness. In hindsight, she could see how every decision the other mother made was to protect her family, including Emma, notwithstanding their rocky start. A sudden thought occurred to her. 'Is this- uh,' she paused before reformulating the question. 'Have you always felt this way or is this a recent development due to my interaction with your past self?'

The mayor shrugged loosely. 'Does it matter?'

Emma tilted her head. 'I guess not.'

Regina made a move to start their journey to the expecting imp before she stopped and stared at the blonde.

The other woman raised an eyebrow, curious as to what was going through the queen's mind.

'Thank you,' she blurted out. 'For what you did back there, for what you said. It- uh, it helped.'

Emma smiled warmly at the confession. 'I'm glad I could offer you the comfort you should've gotten in the first place.' She opened her arms invitingly and teasingly said, 'do you want to hug it out?'

'Absolutely not,' the brunette refused certainly. 'Let's go. Rumplestiltskin will be waiting for us.'

The blonde dropped her arms and chuckled at the typically-Regina response. 'Since when are you worried about keeping that fiend waiting?' She asked as they began their walk to the man's castle.

'I'm not worried about that,' Regina refuted. 'I'm more impatient to get us home.'

Emma's body warmed at the last word even though she wasn't sure if the other woman's definition of home included her. 'Yeah, home,' she repeated softly.

The mayor glanced at her, having an idea of what she was thinking about and kept quiet. The walk through the woods was mostly silent save for the chirping birds and rustling leaves, and although she remembered wishing for this exact scenario a few hours prior, the uncharacteristically soundless behaviour the blonde was displaying was making her uncomfortable.  
'I didn't know you were capable of keeping your mouth shut for more than two seconds, Miss Swan. I have to say I'm impressed you lasted so long,' she teased, hoping their usual banter would cheer her up.

'I'm full of surprises,' Emma deadpanned.

Regina pressed her lips together and nodded to herself. That hadn't worked like she had hoped it would. She took a deep breath, she would have to find another technique and as the saying goes, _honesty is the best policy_. 'I have always felt that way about you, Miss Swan,' she started as an answer to the question posed a couple of minutes before. This certainly got the blonde's attention and Emma turned her gaze to the mayor. 'I love Henry and he loves you so in order to protect him, I must protect you and that includes not leaving you unless my presence does you more harm than good.' She met the green eyes that were staring at her and when she noticed the other woman wasn't planning on offering a reaction, she continued her tale. 'It was more out of obligation than anything else in the beginning, but the more I got to know you... well, you could say I've grown to _care_ for you.'

Emma knew this wasn't a love confession but considering who it came from, it might as well be one. Her neutral expression broke into a smirk and she teased, 'took you long enough. I've been waiting three years for you to admit it.'

The mayor narrowed her eyes. 'Why is it that my misery and my embarrassment are the only things that seem to put you in a good mood, Miss Swan?'

The sheriff chuckled softly. 'You don't have to be embarrassed about saying you care about me, Regina. The feeling is mutual. Besides, we're friends and that's what friends do.'

'Who said anything about friendship?' Regina wondered.

Emma shot her a look and that was enough for the brunette to drop her defences.

'Fine. I guess we can be friends,' she conceded and the smile on Emma's face made its reappearance. The mayor studied her friend suspiciously before asking, 'was that brooding demeanour an act to make me admit that we are friends?'

Emma scoffed at the accusation. 'Sure,' she replied sarcastically. 'Next you're going to tell me I'm the one who opened the portal so I could go back in time to see you at your weakest.'

'Well, did you?'

She threw her hands up in exasperation. 'Of course not! God, you _do_ know you're being paranoid, right?'

The mayor pressed her lips into a thin line. 'So I've been told. By you. Less than twelve hours ago.'

'There you go,' the blonde said, as if her point had just been proven.

A few minutes had gone by before she spoke up again. 'How was I even supposed to know how you would react to my ' _brooding demeanour'_?'

Regina shrugged in a way that reminded her of their son. 'We always have a knack of knowing what the other is thinking. Why would it be different this time?'

'Huh,' Emma hummed curiously. She wasn't wrong, somehow the pair were always on the same wavelength. Before she could think about the possible explanations, she focused her attention on the moment and on the towering castle in front of them.

'We're here,' Regina announced unnecessarily.

Using all of her willpower, Emma bit back her witty comments and instead asked, 'how do we get inside? Do you poof us into the castle? Does he summon us?'

The Queen's reply was heard a few seconds later in the form of a knock. 'This place is protected by so many spells it would be a miracle if we still had all of our limbs after I tried to magic us in,' she offered as an explanation.

'We're doing it old school. Cool, I love it,' the blonde spoke with fake enthusiasm.

The mayor studied the woman beside her. 'It is not because we have magic that we _must_ use it for every little task,' she taught.

'Maybe, but it's more fun if we do,' Emma replied with a grin.

'Ladies.' A voice interrupted their banter. 'Please come in.'

The time travellers exchanged glances before they stepped through the threshold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Feedback is welcome! Come find me on Tumblr: @luversd


	4. back to the future

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're pretending that Emma and Anna (from Frozen) have already met. Enjoy!

The corridors were a maze and the ceilings were extremely high. That was Emma's assessment of Rumplestiltskin's castle.

'I'm sorry for keeping you waiting-,' the small man started as he lead them to the dining room. He paused and thought about his words. 'Actually, I'm not.' He giggled. 'Either way, it seems like my maid hasn't fully understood her duties here. Speak of the devil.'

The young woman in question entered the room as he took a seat at the table.

'Belle,' Emma called out involuntarily.

'I'm sorry. Do we know each other?' The maid questioned curiously.

'Uh. No.' Green eyes met wide brown ones as the blonde exchanged a panicked gaze with Regina. 'A friend,' she started, quickly scanning her memory for any mutual friends Belle and her might have. 'Anna from Arendelle? She mentioned you in passing.'

Belle broke out in a warm smile at the familiar name. 'Oh, Anna, yes! She's a sweet girl,' she reminisced. 'How is she?'

'She's good, her usual chirpy self,' Emma replied casually, having no idea what the princess was actually up to these days.

'Enough,' Rumplestiltskin interrupted. 'Go make us some tea,' he ordered and Belle dutifully took her leave but not before giving the guests a smile.

'You know her,' the man accused once she had left the room.

The blonde shrugged. 'I do, but I'm guessing you don't want to know about that either?'

'Correct,' he answered before falling still. An eerie silence filled the room as Belle walked back in, carrying a tray in her hands.

'Carry on, don't mind me,' she told them playfully while she poured the hot liquid into three teacups. An awkward cough provided a distraction when nobody offered a response. 'Or don't,' she muttered before she placed the cups in front of each person. A look of recognition crossed her face when she met Regina's gaze. 'Hey, you look familiar. Have we met before?'

'I don't believe we have,' the mayor replied calmly. 'Alice. It's a pleasure to meet you.' She offered a smile as if that would help get Belle off her scent.

'Hey, Belle means 'beautiful', right?' Emma quickly jumped in.

The distraction worked like a charm and the young maid was completely enraptured by the new topic. 'It does, do you speak French?'

'My father taught me some,' the blonde lied, feigning humility.

'Oh, really?' Belle replied excitedly. 'Comment allez-vous?' (How are you?)

Emma's eyes widened at the unnecessary and unwanted detour their conversation had taken. She quickly browsed through her limited knowledge of the French language which she had acquired throughout her equally limited high school education for an answer. 'Bien.' She said with as much confidence as she could muster. 'Et vous?' (Good, and you?)

'Très bien, merci!' (Very good, thank you!) The young woman looked genuinely happy to be able to speak her mother-tongue again, even if it was with a poorly versed, heavily accented stranger like herself.

'Merci pour le thé,' Emma added awkwardly. (Thank you for the tea.)

'Aucun souci,' Belle returned with a smile. (No problem.)

Rumplestiltskin cleared his throat and his maid took that as her cue to leave, quickly ducking out of the room and closing the door behind her. 

'You speak French?' Regina asked softly in Emma's ear, sounding undeniably impressed even though her poker face revealed no such emotion.

Emma's cheeks flushed at the close proximity and she replied with a shrug, 'they taught us the basics in school but I don't remember much of it.'

'Ladies,' the Dark One called out with a predatory gaze. 'Do you have what I requested?'

The sheriff fished the vial out of her pocket and held it up. 'We showed you ours, now show us yours.'

The man waved his hands and suddenly a wand and a small vial appeared on the table.

'This is it? You're going to use this to open the portal?' Emma questioned.

'Not exactly. It's what _you're_ going to use to open the portal,' he corrected.

'What do you mean?' The blonde asked quickly, feeling her pulse speed up at the possibility that this was another one of Rumplestiltskin's tricks.

'Well, apparently, only those who used the portal can reopen it,' he explained. 

'I still have my magic,' Regina spoke up, her gaze meeting Emma's as she stepped forward to grab the wand.

'Well,' Rumplestiltskin drawled with a knowing grin.

The brunette's head snapped towards him and she glared at him. 'What?'

'This particular wand requires a special kind of magic,' he said. 'Light magic, so unless Your Majesty suddenly became the Good Queen, I'm afraid you're going nowhere.'

Regina clenched her jaw at the technicality but even with all the magic coursing through her veins, she couldn't feel any kind of connection to the wooden object. She gave it a wave for good measure, but nothing happened. She sighed and turned to her friend. 'As much as it pains me to say this, but he's right. My dark magic won't be able to get this thing to work.'

'Okay, well, what's that?' Emma asked, referring to the vial on the table.

'This is for me,' Rumplestiltskin spoke gleefully, carefully twisting the bottle between his fingertips. 'A forgetting potion. I know too much about my future. The only way to protect it, is to forget it.'

'What about us? Regina has magic, there has to be some way to turn it into light magic, right?' The blonde questioned frantically.

'Emma,' the brunette called gently, grabbing her arm in an attempt to pacify her travelling companion.

'Unless the Evil Queen has a change of heart, there's not much you can do. And by now, you should know that a literal change of heart is more likely than _Regina_ cleansing her blackened heart,' Rumplestiltskin told her, before adding, 'not that I'm one to talk.'

'Don't speak about her like that,' Emma defended. 'She's changed. Isn't the mere fact that she isn't trying to kill you right now proof enough that she's good?'

Regina swallowed hard at her reaction. No one had ever stood up for her like that.

'Please, that makes her tame, not good,' the Dark One argued dismissively. 'Enough.' He said with finality. 'I'm just going to take that-.' With a wave of his hand, the small bottle containing the Evil Queen's tear vanished from the blonde's hands and appeared in his.

'How do you know that it's real?' Emma challenged. 'Maybe we hid the real tear in case this was another trick of yours, or maybe it's not even a real tear,' she stalled, every member in the room knew she was bluffing but she didn't care. She just needed some time to figure out their escape plan before he killed them or worse, kept them captive until the end of time.

Rumplestiltskin breathed out tiredly as if dealing with them was a waste of his time and energy. 'You would be a fool to even think about doing such things and the Evil Queen - past, present or future - is hotheaded, not stupid.'

There was a compliment wrapped in the insult, however seeing who it came from, the praise didn't mean much to Regina.

'As I was saying,' the Dark One resumed before throwing a dirty look at Emma as though her interruption had been most bothersome. 'Our trade is done, however it doesn't seem like you're going anywhere anytime soon, so I'm going to put you someplace even I dare not go, where I store the magic that is too dark or unpredictable even for me.'

Before Regina had a chance to poof them away, Rumplestiltskin sent them away using his own magic.

'Fuck,' Regina muttered once they landed in the stone room. She snapped her fingers to change their outfits to something more modern and started pacing nervously.

Emma blinked, pleasantly surprised by the small outburst. 'That's new. Maybe you're spending too much time with Henry,' she teased before noticing the more comfortable attire she was wearing, which included her famous leather jacket. 'Oh, thanks.'

The mayor narrowed her eyes at her. 'He's 12,' she replied flatly.

'Oh, right.'

'Perhaps you should take a look at yourself before you go blaming other people, Miss Swan,' she suggested offhandedly. 

Emma knew she should've been offended but Regina did have a point. Curse words were some of her favourite linguistic forms and if Regina had picked up on that habit from someone, it was most likely from her.

'Are you saying we're spending too much time together, madam Mayor?'

Regina shrugged with one shoulder. 'Your words, not mine,' she said before returning to her previous activity of walking around the room except now she was also opening every drawer and cupboard.

'What are you doing?' Emma finally asked.

The brunette raised an eyebrow as if the answer was obvious. 'What does it look like I'm doing? I'm trying to figure a way out.'

The Saviour looked around dejectedly. 'I don't think there is one. And what's the point? You heard what he said. We can't reopen the portal.'

Suddenly Regina turned on her heels to face her properly and studied her with crossed arms. 'But you can,' she opposed thoughtfully. 'All he said we need is light magic. You're the Saviour, Miss Swan, you can do it.'

'So we're back to 'Miss Swan', huh?' Emma asked, clearly deviating from the point Regina was trying to make.

The mayor closed her eyes for a moment and sighed before humouring her. 'Sorry?'

'You called me by my first name back there and it didn't seem to kill you,' the blonde remembered. 'It just seems prissy to still call me 'Miss Swan' three years down the line.'

A single eyebrow arched on the mayor's face and Emma was surprised when her insides turned to jelly at the sight of the oh so familiar smirk. 'Would you rather have me calling you 'Swan' like Captain Guyliner?'

The sheriff snorted. 'God, no. Please don't. 'Emma' will do just fine.'

Regina cocked her head and stared at her curiously. 'Why is it so important to you?'

 _Because I like the way it sounds when you say my name._ Emma's cheeks flushed at the thought and by the way the corners of Regina's mouth quirked slightly, she knew she had noticed. She cleared her throat and replied, 'because we're friends and that's what friends do.'

The mayor considered her answer. 'Alright then, _Emma._ Ready to do this?'

Emma's growing smile quickly turned into a frown. 'Do what exactly?' She asked before noticing the wand Regina was holding out in front of her. She took it with a sigh. 'You know I can't, I lost my magic.'

'When Zelena died, all of her spells were undone. Your powers should've been restored,' the older woman insisted.

'Believe me, if I could make it work, I would. You think I'm faking it?' Emma challenged.

'I think not having magic makes it a hell of a lot easier for you to run back to New York and pretend to be somebody else,' Regina argued. She stepped forward, closing in on the blonde as she continued, 'but listen to me, Emma. _You're not_. It's time to stop running.'

They were face-to-face, in each other's personal spaces and Regina expected Emma to lash out and yell at her about how she didn't - _couldn't_ \- understand what it felt like to not have a family or a home. Instead, Emma answered with a soft 'you think I don't know that?' She took a breath before carrying on, 'yes, I run away, that's how I've always survived but believe me, I want this to work. I want to go back. I want to stop running.'

Regina eyed her carefully, trying to discern if the Saviour was telling the truth. 'What's changed your mind?' She asked after a moment.

Just like that the fervour with which the sheriff had spoken her last words seemed to have left her body alongside the air in her lungs. She knew this question would come up sooner or later but that didn't make it any easier to answer - or to think about the implications of her answer. Her feet unconsciously took a step back as if putting some distance between Regina and her would help her think more clearly, which was undoubtedly the case, before she gestured toward the older woman. 'You.'

The look of curious surprise on the mayor's face would've been delightful in any other circumstances but Emma knew she expected her to elaborate further. 'Meeting you, your past self, it helped me realise that these fairytales are more than just stories, they're your lives. Behind those characters are real people, and maybe you were the Evil Queen, but you were also so much more that. And I get why people in Storybrooke, including my parents, warn me about how evil you are after everything they've been through, but it's more complicated than that. Yes, you can be a royal pain in the ass sometimes, but so can I and I'm the _Saviour_.' She spoke the last word with derision, as if after all this time her being designated the Saviour out of all the people in the world had to be some kind of cosmic joke. 'You hurt just the same as I do and you love just the same as the next person, maybe even more. It's helped me recognise that the Evil Queen as well as Snow White and Prince Charming are real, they are a part of you, and that would mean that Mary Margaret and David are actually my parents. And I would be an idiot to run from the family I've always been looking for.'

Regina's neutral expression didn't reveal her thoughts, however her brown eyes were staring at Emma with a softness that took the blonde by surprise. 'You would be,' she agreed, 'but that has never stopped you from making dumb and reckless choices before, Emma. How is it any different this time?'

'Because,' Emma said, trying to find the right words to describe the feeling in her chest. 'When I met you as the Evil Queen,' she started again, 'you didn't know me, obviously, and while it was nice to know something you didn't for once, it sucked that you didn't recognise me. I missed our usual banter, I missed the way you know exactly which buttons to press to make me want to throttle you, snap at you and laugh at the same time, I just missed... you, Regina.'

'Oh.'

'Yes, oh. And since that was the last thing I expected to miss, now I _know_ I'll miss the awkward family dinners and the town gatherings at Granny's for any and every occasion.' Tears welled up in Emma's eyes and she didn't know if it was of sadness or joy. Her voice cracked as she went on. 'When Henry brought me to Storybrooke, he told me I was the Saviour. I didn't see what he was really doing. He wasn't bringing me back to break a curse, he was bringing me home.'

A smile formed on Emma's lips as she spoke about their son and Regina wore a matching expression. 'He's too perceptive and stubborn for his own good,' the mayor said fondly.

'You raised him well.'

'Too well apparently, since it has led to your presence in our lives,' she quipped.

Instead of responding with a witty comeback, the blonde looked at her with a tender gaze. 'Neal was right. You don't have a home until you just miss it.' She paused and considered her next words. 'Storybrooke is my home.'

'I'm glad you feel that way, Emma,' Regina told her truthfully.

'Why?' She questioned, silently hoping that the brunette would reciprocate the feeling.

The mayor smirked and glanced down. 'Because now we have a way to go back home.'

It took a second for Emma to figure out what she was talking about and when she did, her gaze shifted to the wand in her hand. Sure enough, it was glowing a white light and she could feel the familiar sensation of magic coursing through her body.

'Care to do the honours, Miss Swan?'

The Saviour waved the wooden object and a portal opened up before them. 'Well done, Emma,' Regina congratulated, her voice devoid of the usual sarcasm. The staccato clicks of her high heels echoed off the high walls as she approached the portal and right before she stepped through it, she turned around. 'I would miss you too, you know.'

Emma's face broke into a wide grin at the admission and she quickly followed the other woman into the yellow light, feeling a new sense of hope as they returned home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! What did you think of the chapter?


	5. the aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen, while everyone expects Regina to drink her coffee black, I feel like she would have a specific order that kind of reflects the inner child/playfulness nobody gets to see except for Henry and Emma - but that's just my opinion. Enjoy the chapter!

Being spit out of a portal resulted in a brutal landing but nothing could dampen the women's mood now that they had finally arrived at their destination. The pair picked themselves off the ground, dusted off their clothes and shared an understanding look before they started the journey to the diner where the rest of the town was still gathered. A comfortable silence fell over them as they walked the path, both women too lost in thought to even have a conversation.

Surprisingly, no one paid them attention when they stepped into the diner. Regina had half expected people to crowd around the Saviour asking where she had been, but nobody did such thing, not even her parents. They were too busy swooning over their newborn. Still, Emma rushed towards them and Regina hurried towards their son, embracing him in a fierce hug when he had exited the booth to greet them. The mayor was actively filtering out the Charmings' happy reunion until something caught her attention.

'I'm fine. I'm home,' Emma said. Henry's head snapped up.

'Do you mean that you're not leaving?' Mary Margaret wondered cautiously.

'Yes, I'm not going anywhere,' the blonde breathed out.

'We're staying in Storybrooke?' Henry asked enthusiastically.

'Yeah kid, this is where we belong,' Emma affirmed as she pulled him closer, her eyes meeting brown ones belonging to the mayor. When Regina subtly quirked an eyebrow and smirked slightly, Emma knew she had made the right choice.

Regina took a seat in the booth and Henry followed after her as Mary Margaret sat on the opposite side of the table.

'Scoot,' Emma requested, motioning with her head that the twelve-year-old had to make some space for her.

'But-'

'Don't argue with your mother,' Regina scolded.

Henry turned to her, another protest ready on his lips.

'Or your mother,' the brunette added pointedly.

Emma grinned at the interaction, having Regina on her side for once filled her with inexplicable joy.

'You can sit here if you want, Emma,' her mother invited, nodding to the empty spot beside her.

'Oh no, it's fine, Mum. I wouldn't want to disturb my baby brother,' the blonde replied cheerfully as she watched her son begrudgingly slide across the seat.

'Yet you have no problem disturbing your son,' Henry muttered.

'Because you're not a baby anymore,' Emma teased, sitting herself down in the limited space at her disposal and putting her arm around the back of the seat.

'Don't worry darling, you'll always be my little baby boy,' Regina assured and ruffled his hair for good measure.

'Mums,' the young boy groaned in embarrassment.

Emma's gaze turned to the mayor only to find two brown eyes already watching her. She shot her a broad smile and was rewarded with a serene look. The softness the mayor usually only reserved for Henry was starting to make its appearance around her as well, and Emma thought she could get used it. Too enthralled by each other, the mothers failed to notice how Mary Margaret was watching the uncharacteristically domestic scene in front of her with suspicion.

Regina broke eye contact first and returned her attention to the kid sandwiched between them. 'Last time I checked, it wasn't a crime for a mother to miss her son.'

'Yeah, but you saw me ten minutes ago. Missing me after such a short time apart is a little excessive, Mum. Maybe you should go and see Dr. Hopper,' Henry suggested goodheartedly. 'Look, he's right there,' he noticed as he turned in his seat to spot the man in question.

The mayor chuckled. 'You're not getting rid of me that easily, honey. Besides, Emma and I have something to share and I think you would be interested in hearing our story.'

 _Emma?_ Mary Margaret's confusion only seemed to grow the more time she spent with the pair. 

'Right, the time portal,' David remembered, joining in on their conversation. 'How did you manage to close it?'

Emma glanced at her time travelling companion excitedly and Regina nodded, letting her take the reigns of the storytelling. 'By jumping into it. Well, more like falling into it.'

'Into the portal?' Mary Margaret questioned doubtfully. When her daughter nodded, she wondered, 'where- or I suppose it would be more accurate to ask you _when_ did it take you to?'

Another glance at the former Evil Queen revealed a clenched jaw and a stiff posture. Having an idea what the brunette was thinking about, Emma turned her gaze back to her parents and shrugged. 'Honestly, we're not even sure. We didn't see a lot familiar faces which is good, otherwise we could've messed up the timeline. Although, I did get to see the Evil Queen in action.'

'Oh God, what did she do?' Her mother asked worriedly.

'Did she slaughter an entire village?' Henry sounded way too excited about the possibility that his mother may be a mass murderer and although his morals were questionable, Emma was glad he didn't hate that part of Regina anymore.

'Nah, kid. She was feeling nice so it was only a couple of people, but it was pretty impressive,' Emma lied easily and Regina rolled her eyes at their mildly disturbing enthusiasm. At the same time, she leaned backwards into the seat until her body made contact with the blonde's hand. It was a simple movement that would seem accidental to everybody else, but Emma knew what it meant. _Thank you_. In return she gently tapped on the mayor's shoulder. _No problem._

Mary Margaret was at a loss for words while she watched her daughter and her grandson joke about the Evil Queen's horrible crimes.

Thankfully, David provided the next question. 'How did you come back home?'

'Rumplestiltskin.' The name was self-explanatory but Emma elaborated anyway, 'we made a deal, or a trade, with him and we opened a portal and voilà.'

'Actually, Emma opened the portal,' the mayor corrected, giving credit where credit's due.

'Ooh, and check this out.' The blonde waved her hands and two coffee cups appeared on the table for the newcomers since the rest had already been served. 'One freshly brewed coffee with unsweetened cocoa powder and skim milk for madam Mayor, and one hot cocoa with cinnamon for me,' she said as she distributed the drinks, missing the look of surprise on Regina's face when she got her coffee right. 'I got my magic back,' she announced eagerly.

'That's amazing, Emma.' Mary Margaret smiled and David nodded his agreement.

'So, what happened here during the ten minutes we were gone?' Emma asked and her eyes suddenly went wide. 'You haven't revealed the baby's name yet, have you?'

'Of course not,' her mother assured. 'We were waiting for you.'

'Alright, ready?' David asked his wife before kissing her head and raising his glass. 'Excuse me, if I could have everyone's attention just for a moment,' he addressed the room. 'This coronation ceremony is something we've looked forward to for a long time,' he started once he had the townspeople's attention. 'The arrival of our new son has been the cause of great joy for our family and we hope you can share in it as we name him for a hero, someone who saved every one of us, who we loved and he loved back.'

'People of Storybrooke,' Mary Margaret announced with tears of happiness in her eyes. 'It is our great joy to introduce you to our son... Prince Neal.'

The room erupted in applause for the newborn royalty and Emma stood from her seat to greet her little brother. The smile on her face was sweet and genuine as she reached out to touch his small hands. 'It's so nice to meet you, Neal,' she said softly.

Once the exit was clear, Henry rushed out of the booth as if he had been deprived of his freedom for too long. Regina on the other hand, watched the siblings for a moment longer before she too vacated her seat. She couldn't deny that the Charmings had chosen the perfect name for their son and even though she knew she should be happy for the family, her heart clenched at the adoring look on Mary Margaret's face because this was just another reminder of how Snow White had won again, and this time Regina was the only one to blame.

Having no one else to socialise with, the brunette went outside. She breathed in the cool air and felt her body relax just a little at the fresh dose of oxygen. She heard the door open behind her and expecting it to be one of the townspeople heading home, she moved to the side to let them pass. When no one did, she turned around, ready to snap at the person that there was more than enough space for them to walk by but her words caught in her throat once she saw who it was.

'Emma,' she sighed.

'You're so sick of me you couldn't even last the evening, huh?' The blonde smiled.

'An astute observation,' the mayor concurred. 'So why are you out here bothering me anyway?'

'I thought you might appreciate the company,' Emma replied honestly.

'I would, if it was anyone else but you,' Regina quipped.

'Oh, should I send Leroy your way then?' The sheriff proposed as she slowly headed back to the entrance.

Too prideful to admit that she did in fact enjoy the blonde's company, Regina answered flatly, 'I would rather rip my own heart out than spend a second in his vicinity.'

Emma laughed at the disdain on her face and took a seat in one of the plastic chairs. The mayor eyed them suspiciously before following her lead. Considering the day they had had, her outfit had suffered worse than a dirty garden chair.

'Thank you,' the sheriff spoke up after a moment, breaking the peaceful silence that had fallen upon them.

'What for?'

'For coming with me through the portal, we both know you could've just left me there on my own,' she replied before adding, 'and for trusting me with your past.'

Regina shrugged and the blonde noticed it was the same way Henry did when he was tired. 'I didn't have much of choice. Letting you run wild in the past would be like letting a baby entertain itself in a kitchen that hasn't been baby-proofed. Dangerous, irresponsible and idiotic. I wasn't going to let you ruin this life I built for myself. And regarding your second thanks, again, it wasn't out of the goodness of my heart. You meeting the Evil Queen was inevitable and it so happened to be on one of her more evil days. I did what I had to do to get us out of there.'

'You had your reasons though,' the Saviour countered and Regina wasn't sure if she had heard her correctly. It seemed like Emma was actually excusing her evil behaviour, one that even she could admit had been over the line. 'You had a really shitty day, and while I usually run away when I have one of those, you just used your coping mechanism of hurting other people to regain some sense of control in your life. _Now_ whose coping mechanism is worse?' She challenged with a smirk, referring to their previous conversation in the Evil Queen's castle.

Regina refused to answer _that_ , not that it mattered since the question was rhetorical anyway. 'What would your mother think if she heard you defend the Evil Queen?' She asked instead, crossing her arms in the process.

Emma snorted. 'She would disown me and kick me out of the apartment.'

'Sounds more desirable than the situation you're currently in,' the mayor commented, taking the opportunity to insult Mary Margaret.

The sheriff chuckled. 'You'd change your mind real quick when I move into your place instead.'

'Sure and why don't you change your name to 'Mills' while you're at it,' Regina suggested, her words devoid of meaning.

Emma brought a hand to her chest and pretended to be shocked. 'Madam Mayor, is that a marriage proposal I hear?'

The brunette rolled her eyes. 'Clean your ears, Miss Swan. It was an adoption proposal since calling you an adult would be a bit of a stretch,' she clarified. 'But I'm taking it back. I don't have enough patience to deal with your incessant jabbering and unpredictable mood swings.'

'Oh, you mean my incessant jabbering and unpredictable mood swings that you would _miss_?' Emma grinned.

Regina narrowed her eyes at the other woman. 'Don't use my words against me,' she ordered, knowing the blonde wasn't going to listen anyway. 'And don't mention the things I said or did on our trip to anyone else. What happened in the Enchanted Forest, stays in the Enchanted Forest.'

Emma was surprised the Queen had heard of the phrase and it only made her smile wider. 'Except when there is a witness who's more than willing to spill the beans.'

The mayor frowned. 'Promise me you won't say a word,' she demanded as a last resort. Surely, the blonde had enough decency hidden underneath that atrocious jacket to keep her word.

'I promise.'

Regina studied her skeptically as if Emma actually doing as she was told was cause enough for suspicion. Before she could question it further, the door chimed open and the blonde's parents stepped out with Neal in his mother's arms and Henry leading the pack.

'Emma! There you are,' Mary Margaret exclaimed. '... with Regina,' she trailed off.

'We thought you had gone home to rest,' the blonde's father explained with a warm smile, apparently unaffected by her choice of company.

'Oh, no. I was just hanging out with the mayor as one does,' Emma replied pleasantly, knowing fully well that that was an activity one usually _didn't_ do in this town.

'We were just heading home, do you want to walk with us?' Her mother invited.

'Sure, let's go, Regina,' the blonde said as she stood up, earning a raised eyebrow from the mayor. She was certain she hadn't been included in Mary Margaret's 'you'.

Nevertheless she followed suit because it was also time for Henry to go to bed. The couple walked ahead of them and once again, the twelve-year-old was stuck between his parents.

'What happened in the Enchanted Forest?' He asked suddenly, taking both mothers by surprise.

'We already told you what happened, kid,' Emma replied confusedly. 'Why?'

Henry shrugged. 'Mum's calling you 'Emma' instead of 'Miss Swan' and it's like your best friends now. I'm not complaining, it's just... weird, I guess.'

'We're not best friends,' Regina quickly denied and the blonde shot her a look that said 'really?' and she had to admit her answer had been too rushed.

'Listen, kid. We may have been gone for ten minutes, but for us, the trip lasted a whole day, and although your mother was her usual bossy self, we did bond together,' the sheriff explained and Regina rolled her eyes at the adjective used to describe her.

'When did I ever boss you around?' She interrogated.

Emma looked at her incredulously as if the question was so ridiculous it bordered on offensive. 'Literally all the time. You would just drag me around and half the time I didn't even know where we were going or what I was supposed to do.'

The mayor narrowed her eyes. 'Don't blame your incompetence on me, Miss Swan. It's hardly my fault that your head is just one big air pocket.'

'Isn't it though?' The blonde questioned. 'I mean, that tree I was put in might have had some toxins in it or the journey to this world might have messed with my baby brains.'

'Even if that was the case, that's something you need to take up with your parents,' Regina returned stiffly. 'I'm not the one who put you in that cupboard,' she reminded.

'Sure, because you had absolutely nothing to do with that.'

Just when Henry thought his mother would go on a rampage, she deflated and gazed at the Saviour tiredly. 'What do you want, Emma? If you want me to apologise for casting the curse, I would advise you not to hold your breath. However cruel my intentions, it has led me to our son and I will never regret that.'

The mayor's honest vulnerability piqued the young boy's curiosity and he wondered once more what had transpired in the other world to make his mother drop her defences so easily around the blond woman.

'I'm just pulling your leg, Gina.' Emma laughed.

Regina sighed in annoyance at the unnecessary emotional rollercoaster the other woman's words had taken her on. 'Next time, do it when I can afford to have my leg pulled and not when it looks like I'm about to collapse on the pavement,' she requested before adding, 'and don't call me Gina.'

'Those heels are killing you, huh?' The Saviour noted, her eyes dipping down to the designer shoes the mayor was wearing and deviating to her slender legs before they returned to her face.

The brunette hummed in agreement.

'You could take them off,' Emma suggested.

'And walk barefoot on asphalt? Please, I'm a Queen and a bit more refined,' Regina sassed. 

The sheriff sighed. 'I was just trying to help but suit yourself. I'll let you suffer in silence, _madam Mayor_.'

The air around them was silent and tense, neither woman actually mad or upset, but both too stubborn to be the first to speak.

Henry glanced at his mothers before saying, 'see? Weird.'

Emma couldn't argue with that. Her conversations with the brunette were unpredictable and she barely comprehended how they could go from vulnerable heart-to-hearts to witty sass to downright rude insults in ten seconds flat. She'd be lying if she said she didn't enjoy the erratic changes of pace though, the mayor kept her on her toes like no one else could and she had a feeling the other woman felt the same.

'It still doesn't make us best friends,' Regina pointed out persistently.

'But it does make us friends,' Emma expressed.

When the brunette didn't offer a response, their son turned to look at her. 'Mum, is that true?'

'It is,' the sheriff promised before Regina could say something. 'I got her to admit it in the Enchanted Forest.' She felt a pair of brown eyes watching her when she mentioned their little trip but she didn't care. 'Do you want to know what else I got her to admit?' She asked him with a mischievous smile.

Henry nodded eagerly.

'She said she would mi-,' Emma didn't get to finish her sentence before purple smoke enveloped her and dropped her off in the mayor's foyer.

'What was that?' Regina demanded as she stalked towards the sheriff until her back was pressed against the front door.

'I was just having a conversation with the kid,' Emma replied with a knowing smile.

' _You promised_.'

'Come on, Regina,' she groaned. 'It's _Henry_ , don't you want him to know that we're growing closer, that he doesn't have to walk on eggshells anymore when we're both in the same room?'

'Announcing that we were friends would've cleared that up just fine,' the mayor bit back. 'I can't believe I trusted you.'

The blonde sighed at the dramatic statement. 'Don't say that.'

'Why not? You gave me your word, Emma.'

'Did I pinky promise?'

'Excuse me?'

'Everybody knows a promise is worth nought unless it's a pinky promise,' Emma clarified.

Regina looked at her like she was thinking of ways to kill her with her bare hands. Emma watched as she swallowed once she noticed how close their faces were before she closed her eyes. 'You are a _child_ , Emma Swan,' she muttered furiously.

The Saviour offered a lopsided grin and the mayor finally took a step back. 'You know I wouldn't disclose any of the Evil Queen stuff, right? Like I said, it's not my secret to tell but I'm here for you if you want to talk about it. You _can_ trust me, Regina,' she insisted.

It took a moment for the brunette to answer. 'I guess I am grateful that you didn't reveal your findings from our trip to your family.'

'You're welcome,' Emma replied cheekily. 'Are we good?'

Regina pursed her lips before nodding.

'Alright, now that that's out of the way, what do you say we run our hands through our hair and ruin our outfits so Mary Margaret thinks we had a quickie?' The Saviour suggested with a wide grin.

'Get your head out of the gutter, Miss Swan, and stop acting like a pubescent boy,' the mayor chided.

'So now, I'm a teenager, huh? It won't be long until I become an adult and that adoption proposal turns into the marriage proposal your heart oh so desires, madam Mayor,' Emma told her with a smirk.

'Don't be absurd,' Regina refuted although she couldn't hide the blush on her cheeks at the fleeting thought of being married to the Saviour.

Emma had noticed the change of colour and she sounded exceptionally smug when she asked, 'hear something you like?'

When Regina turned on her heels and walked away, she knew their moment was over. The brunette had her back to her as if she was trying to get a hold of herself and that required not having the blonde in her line of vision. Emma could relate to that feeling all too well and she collected her thoughts before joining the older woman's side. Regina glanced at her and said, 'we should go back before your parents think that I killed you.'

'The quickie-offer still stands,' Emma replied playfully.

The mayor raised an eyebrow at how her proposition sounded before she shook her head. 'I could leave a hickey on your neck and they would still insist that we were in a physical fight.'

The Saviour decided to ignore the way her body had suddenly heated up or how inappropriate images had popped into her head as she imagined the older woman doing exactly that, and nodded weakly, not trusting her voice. Without warning, the familiar purple smoke clouded her vision and when it cleared, she was greeted with worried looking parents and a confused Henry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you know, kudos and comments add fuel to the fire between our ladies and we definitely wouldn't want their spark to die! (jk... unless?)  
> Thanks for reading!


	6. a change of plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hitching the U-Haul to the back of her Bug like a true bi woman!

'Kidnapping me in front of my parents won't get you on my mother's good side, you know,' Emma stated from her position on the mayor's couch.

'Right, because Mary Margaret's low opinion of me is the thing I'm losing sleep over,' Regina replied dryly without even looking up from the form on her desk.

The sheriff's head popped up from behind the backrest at the new information. 'You're losing sleep?'

'Not as much as you evidently,' the mayor noticed.

Emma groaned and fell back into the comfort of the white furniture.

It was sometime between one pm and two o'clock in the afternoon when she had swung by the mayor's office for a lunch meeting and subsequently decided to take a power nap on the inviting office couch. Regina had watched her practically crash on the furniture with amusement and without another word, she carried on with her mayoral duties. Her reasoning for letting the sheriff outstay her welcome was simple, she couldn't have the blonde arrest the wrong person or misfire her gun due to sleep deprivation, and Regina was certain that David could handle policing the town on his own for a few hours. Truth be told, it reminded her of simpler times when Henry used to come to her office after school and do his homework on the coffee table while he waited for his mother to clock off and take him home. She had missed the company.

Basking in the serene silence, Regina completed the form in front of her before setting it aside and grabbing another from her gradually shrinking pile of paperwork. The woman who she had thought had been asleep suddenly spoke up, startling her. 'You were right.'

The black pen that had been moving across the page stilled at the declaration. 'I usually am,' Regina answered. 'You're going to have be more specific than that.'

Emma could picture the smirk on the other woman's face perfectly and when she lifted her head to check her hypothesis, she was proven right. 'When you said that being kicked out of the apartment seemed more desirable than living in it,' she clarified.

The mayor's smugness grew at the admission and she turned her chair to face the blonde properly, her attention now fully on the sheriff's next words.

'Don't get me wrong, I love my brother,' Emma started. 'But he cries all the goddamn time, especially at night and it's driving me crazy. My mum is cranky all day because she's running on coffee and two hours of sleep, and somehow my dad is fine but I'm literally spending every second of my day with him and I was excited at first but it got old really quick,' she rambled. 'I love my parents, I do, but I'm so _tired_ and moody and I hate it. I need to get my own place ASAP.'

'It took a baby to get you out of your parents' house,' Regina concluded, her tone a mixture of disappointment and amusement, and a part of her wondered what would've happened to their son had the blonde not given him up.

'It seems so,' the Saviour mumbled in agreement. 'I don't know how you did it, Regina, and you did it alone. Kudos to you,' she said honestly.

'Did your baby brother permanently dissuade you from having children of your own someday?' It was meant as a tease but the mayor's voice caught in her throat and she didn't understand why her heart was pounding in anticipation or why she cared so much about the Saviour's future plans.

Emma wore a pensive look. 'I'm not ready for kids right now because like you said I still haven't quite reached adulthood yet.' She glanced back at the brunette with a grin before carrying on, 'but I think someday, with the right partner, I would want them, yeah. What about you? Any plans to adopt another child besides Henry and me?'

'That is entirely up to you, Miss Swan.' Regina quirked an eyebrow. 'If you decide to keep your future babies, then I shall remain the mother of one fine young man.'

'Oh, so _I'm_ your baby mill?'

She smiled wickedly. 'Why else would I put up with you?'

Emma sat up, finally giving up on trying to fall asleep and faced the older woman. 'Because you like me. You secretly enjoy that I don't take shit from you and I keep you on your toes,' she answered self-assuredly, knowing the brunette too well to even begin to fall for her lies and tricks.

'You know what? I preferred it when we hated each other,' the mayor deflected. 'You've grown soft on me and talking to you is comparable to talking to Mary Margaret.' The displeasure in her voice was hard to miss.

The blonde smiled faintly, all too aware that she had hit the nail on the head and that Regina was merely trying to protect herself from the harsh truth that she did in fact enjoy a Charming's company. 'I never hated you, Regina,' she opposed.

Regina blinked. 'See? _Soft._ ' She gestured with her hand as though her point had just been proven.

Emma rolled her eyes and stood up. 'Alright, Regina. As much fun as it is to watch you run around your feelings without ever acknowledging them, I should head back to the station.'

The mayor frowned at the sudden departure. 'Did you sleep?'

The sheriff raised an eyebrow. 'Are you worried about me?'

'No,' Regina lied. 'Spare me the paperwork and try not to shoot someone by accident.'

'I'll do my best,' Emma returned dryly. 'I'll see you around, Regina.'

* * *

Emma's words had lingered in the mayor's mind long after the blonde had left her office and the rest of Regina's afternoon had been unusually unproductive. The watch on her wrist indicated that it was 4:25 pm and although her work day didn't end until 5 pm, Regina knew the last half hour would be as fruitless as the past few hours. She would rather spend that time with her son than by herself in her office, staring at a piece of paper she had read multiple times over for fifteen minutes but the content of which still remained a mystery to her. With a sigh she started packing her things and quickly reviewed her schedule for the next day, making a mental note to come in earlier to make up for the lost time. With her purse in her hand and a folder in her arm containing the unfinished paperwork in the unlikely event that she would feel inspired to work on it at home, Regina walked to the door and turned the lights off before locking her office and making her way to her car.

 _You run around your feelings without ever acknowledging them_. Regina hated how the blonde could read her like a book, hated how despite everything she'd been telling herself, deep down she knew the Saviour was right and she especially despised the look of tenderness and concern on Emma's face right now. Only one person had looked at her like that before and his life had been cut short by the cruel hands of her own mother.

'Regina?' Emma called out, her voice laced with worry.

'What?' Regina snapped.

'Are you okay?' The sheriff asked, paying no attention to her tone. 'I said your name like five time before getting a response.'

'I'm fine,' she replied curtly before remembering they were standing in the middle of the street. She started walking to her car, wordlessly beckoning the other woman to join her. 'What are you doing out here?'

'Coffee run,' the blonde answered as she fell into step beside the town leader. 'It's been a slow day and if I stay in that chair for too long, I'll fall asleep so I'm moving around to keep my blood flowing,' she explained with a chuckle.

The mayor didn't seem to find it funny. 'Coffee at this hour? That doesn't seem wise, Emma. It'll disrupt your sleep.'

'Careful, Regina, or people might think you care,' the Saviour teased.

'I thought we had established that I do care about you,' Regina reminded, not wanting the co-parent to believe the opposite. They had reached her black Mercedes and she opened the car door to drop her belongings in the backseat before closing it again and leaning against it with crossed arms.

Emma was surprised at the seriousness in her tone. While she had accepted that this was how her days were going to be until she found her own place, Regina seemed genuinely concerned about her unhealthy sleeping habits. 'It's not like I have any sleep to lose,' she pointed out.

'How's the apartment hunting going?' The mayor questioned and added, 'or the house hunting.'

Emma snorted. 'Considering my budget, I'm pretty sure a house is out of the picture. Besides I wouldn't know how to fill it if I'm going to be living there on my own.'

Regina knew the feeling. On nights when Henry slept over at his friend's house, the mansion felt cold and uninviting and although she enjoyed the occasional night alone, they often left her feeling lonely. 'Did you find any apartments that interested you?'

'Not really. I've browsed the Internet and the newspaper for listings but I wasn't looking too seriously. I only realised this morning that this was something I needed to do,' the sheriff said with a shrug. 'I'm going to tell my parents tonight but it might take a while until I actually move out.'

'You're always welcome to stay with Henry and me until you find an apartment.' The invitation had flown out of Regina's mouth before she could think about what she was saying. Her eyes widened and she held her breath as she waited for the blonde's reply.

Emma froze. Sure, they had grown closer and spent some time together outside the mayor's office hours and yes, she had mentioned moving into the mayoral mansion a week ago as a _joke_ , but she hadn't expected Regina to actually agree with her - not that she didn't appreciate it.

When the silence became unbearable, Regina spoke up, her face neutral and her voice even. 'You don't have to if it makes you uncomfortable, Emma. It was merely a suggestion since your appearance resembles that of a walking dead.'

Realising she had mistaken her speechlessness for rejection, Emma quickly assured, 'I would love to stay at your place, but I wouldn't want to intrude.'

The brunette huffed. 'I wouldn't have offered if it were an inconvenience.'

Once she was certain that Regina wasn't doing it out of pity or obligation, Emma grinned. 'Alright then. Can I come over tonight?'

The mayor was pleasantly surprised by the other woman's eagerness and she couldn't deny that the prospect of having her in the house - _temporarily -_ excited her as well. 'Of course, I'll make sure the guest room is ready for you. Should we expect you for dinner?'

Emma's face fell slightly at the reminder. 'No, I was planning on telling my parents over dinner.' She could already picture the incredibly tense meal and she wished she could fast forward until after they had had that conversation. 'I'll probably be there by 9-ish.'

Regina offered her first genuine smile of the evening. 'I guess I'll see you later then, Emma, and take it easy on the caffeine.'

'Oh, I'm ordering a caffeine free tea,' the sheriff promised.

The mayor seemed pleased with her choice and even though she knew it was time for her to go, she couldn't bring herself to get into her car and drive home.

 _You run around your feelings without ever acknowledging them_. Somehow, the blonde's voice had found its way back into her mind and she almost snorted at how typically Emma it was to make her presence known at the most inappropriate times, both mentally and physically. The mayor bit her lip as she contemplated her next move, all the while the sheriff watched her curiously.

Blocking the voice in her head that said she was making a mistake, Regina stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the other woman's body, effectively taking her by surprise. It didn't take long for Emma to reciprocate the hug and even though she couldn't see her, Regina knew she was smiling.

'Is this because of what I said earlier about you ignoring your feelings?' Emma asked knowingly.

Regina considered lying but given who she was talking to, she knew it was pointless. 'You got in my head,' she admitted instead.

'Oh yeah?' The sheriff smirked as they pulled away. 'Care to enlighten me on what those feelings may be?'

The brunette hesitated. 'We're friends,' she started slowly. 'And we share a child, and despite our differences, you're a good mother.' She was trying to find the right words to express her feelings and Emma seemed to notice her struggle.

'Can I be honest?' The blonde asked, carrying on when she received a nod. 'Thank you for the compliment,' she started off because she did appreciate the validation. 'But our co-parenthood is not what you're running from. I know it's scary to face your feelings, believe me _I_ _know_ , but it'll be like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders and I'm here, Regina.' She almost reached out to hold the older woman's hand but stopped herself, thinking the gesture might be unwelcome. 'I've seen your dark side and I'm still here. I've faced dragons and demonic creatures, and _I'm still here_. So, whatever you say won't scare me away, you can trust me.'

Regina wished she could speak as freely as her friend, however when it came to emotions, she was far too inexperienced to match the other woman's eloquence. She took a moment to let her words sink in and the realisation that Emma _had_ considered leaving Storybrooke, but ultimately had decided to stay provided some relief to her tense body.

'Listen carefully because I'm only saying this once,' she finally said, waiting until the blonde nodded before carrying on. 'I like you. Despite my best efforts to keep you out of my personal life, you've managed to worm your way in and now it seems that I enjoy your company,' she confessed uncomfortably. 'Our friendship means a lot to me and I'll admit I was hesitant to acknowledge the fact for fear that you might leave or something might happen to you.' She paused as she thought about her next words. 'I'm not good at this, Emma. I only cared for myself until Henry came along, and even so, I've never had friends. I'm going to shut you out and put you through hell, and everyone will have an opinion on us,' she warned. Her question - _'are you sure you can handle this?'_ \- remained unspoken.

'I've put up with your shit the same way you've put up with mine for the last three years, Regina,' Emma pointed out. 'It's kind of late to bail on you now. Besides, I'm hardly a pro at this, all my relationships before Storybrooke either imploded, faded or landed me in prison.'

The reminder of her time spent behind bars seemed to bring some comfort to the mayor and Emma was glad that that particular period in her life seemed to make Regina feel better, if nothing else.

'You have been warned. You don't get to sue me if I throw a fireball your way just because I'm in one of those moods,' Regina stated with a playful smirk.

Emma snorted. 'Right, because that would be a fair trial. This whole town is too afraid of you to do anything that could upset you. They would find you guilty and let you off the hook with _maybe_ mandatory sessions with Dr. Hopper if they're feeling bold.'

The brunette chuckled. That might've been true a few years ago but she could feel her power over the people dwindling. To her surprise, she didn't mind it that much, her days of ruling by fear were over. Well, mostly over - some people still required a more fear-based approach but they were the exception, not the rule. 'That sounds like a you-problem, not a me-problem,' she replied casually.

'I have a feeling that's going to be your go-to answer every time I complain about something you do,' the sheriff commented.

'You're probably right,' Regina admitted. 'Are you sure you still want to come over tonight?' She checked jokingly, knowing it would take more than bad coping skills and a quick temper to keep the Swan woman away.

'I am.' Emma nodded. 'I can't say for sure about the following nights though,' she said, pretending to think about it. 'Spending the night at the mayor's mansion could be the last drop to make my cup run over. I might lose my mind and end up in the psych ward.'

'I'm sure that won't happen,' Regina assured. 'Considering how unhinged your mind can be, I doubt they'd notice the difference between your usual behaviour and a nervous breakdown.'

The blonde's lips quirked upwards. 'Are you calling me crazy?'

'Are you saying you're not?'

'I don't know. What if you're the ones who are actually crazy?' She countered. 'I mean, claiming that you're fairytale characters and that there are multiple worlds you can travel to? You sound delirious to me.'

'If you're crazy enough to believe it, you are one of us,' Regina pointed out.

'Fair point,' Emma agreed. 'I guess everyone in this town is crazy, and now I have to go and grab my tea and get back to work before my crazy dad thinks I fell asleep at Granny's,' she said, suddenly remembering what she had been doing before she had run into the brunette.

'Right. I should head home and start cooking dinner.'

'See you later, Reggie,' she said, trying out the nickname and winced.

'Please refrain from calling me that ever again,' Regina requested flatly as she walked to the driver's side.

'Yeah, I regretted it the second it came out of my mouth,' Emma agreed.

The mayor got into her car and glanced at the blond woman on the sidewalk who offered a small wave before smirking and driving off.

* * *

It was close to ten o'clock when Emma finally found herself on the mayor's porch and knocked on the door.

The entrance opened and Regina stood in all her glory, looking as elegant as she had when Emma had last seen her. Her hair was tousled and a pink shade coloured her cheeks while she stared her guest down with crossed arms.

'You're late.'

Emma grinned. 'You're drunk.' 

The mayor rolled her eyes. 'Hardly. It'll take more than two glasses of wine to get me drunk, Em-ma.'

'You're tipsy,' the sheriff amended.

Regina thought about it. 'Perhaps.'

'I'm sorry,' Emma apologised, remembering the older woman's first words. 'My mum didn't take the news well and she started saying this was all your fault, that you'd cast a spell on me or something.'

'That's preposterous.'

'Thank you,' she said pointedly, grateful that the mayor agreed with her.

'This whole moving out mess is her handiwork. I didn't even have to intervene to make it happen,' Regina continued, sounding delighted and disappointed at the same time.

'Alright there. Take it easy with the finger pointing,' the sheriff requested amusedly before asking, 'are you going to let me inside or should I set up camp on your lawn?'

The mayor took a step back, letting the woman enter her home, before locking the door behind her. 'Would you like a drink?' She offered.

'I would, but I have an early morning. Rain-check?'

Regina smirked. 'So do I, but suit yourself. Have you eaten?'

Emma nodded, her eyes unconsciously glanced towards the staircase.

Catching the movement, the brunette said, 'I'll show you to your room.'

The mayor climbed up the familiar stairs and Emma trailed behind her. 'I've been here before, Regina. You don't have to show me around.'

'You have,' Regina agreed. 'But you have yet to discover the multiple guest rooms in this house.'

Fair point. Emma should've known there was going to be more than one guest room in this building.

'This is Henry's room,' the brunette guided before passing the bathroom that separated Henry's bedroom from hers. 'This is my room,' she went on. 'And this is yours.' She stopped in front of the room opposite of hers and Emma's heart fluttered at the thought that out of all the rooms, the mayor had chosen the one closest to them for her. She gingerly stepped inside, scanning the impeccable bedroom, strangely feeling like she was at a new foster home again. 'Do you need anything?' Regina's voice cut through her musings.

'No, I'm good. Thank you for doing this, Regina. You're a real lifesaver,' Emma told her gratefully, her shoulders dropping with relief at the realisation that she might actually get some rest that night.

'Make yourself at home.' The mayor smiled softly before turning on her heels.

'Oh, hey, Regina.' The brunette looked at her questioningly. 'My shift starts at 8 am tomorrow and I'll set my alarm, but can you wake me up if I sleep through it?'

Regina nodded, having absolutely no intention of doing so. 'Good night, Emma.'

'Thanks. Good night, Regina.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One (1) hug?? This calls for celebration. Pop the champagne and drop the kudos, folks - it's about to get wild.


	7. (gay) panic attack

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next level gay panic. Enjoy!

The mayor had suffered through two meetings and a laborious load of paperwork before the ringing of her phone interrupted her workflow at 12:30 pm the next day. Seeing the caller ID, she smirked and picked up the device.

'The Saviour awakens. I was starting to think that someone had put you under a sleeping curse,' she teased.

'What the hell, Regina? I asked you to wake me up this morning, and now I'm going to be super late for the 8 am shift _I told you about_ last night.' Emma's voice was uneven and Regina presumed she had been put on speaker while the blonde rushed around the bedroom to change into her daytime outfit.

'Don't worry about it. I took care of it,' the mayor assured.

The rustling on the other side of the line stopped before Emma's voice came in clearly. ' _You took care of it?_ What the hell does that even mean?'

' _It means_ that the mayor asked you to run an errand for her this morning and that you'll spend your afternoon debriefing her. It also means that you have a meeting with the mayor every morning from 8 am until 9 am for the rest of the week,' Regina explained in a tone that left no room for argument.

Emma groaned and paused before answering, as if she was trying to convince herself not to scream at her phone in response. 'As much as I appreciate the sentiment,' she started and Regina nearly scoffed at how believable _that_ sounded. 'It really isn't your place to make these calls. I'm glad that we're friends and all but I don't want this special treatment from you. I can take care of myself.'

'No, you can't.'

There was another pause. 'Excuse me?'

'You heard me.' She sighed. 'Look, before coming to Storybrooke, your days consisted of surviving and trusting no one but yourself, and I get that. But things are different now. Henry is counting on you, this whole town, including myself, is counting on you. It's not about survival anymore. We need you at your best, Emma, and the difference between four hours of sleep and seven could mean life or death in your line of work. So no, this is not special treatment from me - and I could fire you for how insulting that accusation is - this is me doing my job as a mayor and making sure the townspeople are in safe hands.'

'Alright then, madam Mayor,' the sheriff spoke reluctantly. 'What time should I come to your office for the debrief?'

'You don't actually have to come. It was just an excuse for you to take the day off without losing your income,' Regina replied.

'Oh, I'm coming. I've got so many questions for you and I'm still not sure how I feel about this intervention. Have you eaten yet?' Emma asked and it sounded like she was on the move again.

'I haven't.'

'Great, then I'll pick up some lunch and we can have that _debrief_. I'll see you in a bit.'

The blonde had hung up before Regina could say anything and all she could do was stare dumbly at her phone, wondering what the next hour was going to bring.

* * *  
A plastic box landed on the mayor's desk before she heard the sheriff's voice. 'How do you feel about kale salad?'

'Like someone found someplace other than Granny's for takeout,' she replied without taking her eyes off her paperwork.

'I'm fine with her grilled cheese, but I know it gets to you,' Emma told her.

Regina laughed and finally looked up. 'You eat like a child,' she reproached lightly. 'Is that my cider?' She eyed the familiar bottle in the blonde's hand suspiciously.

'An astute observation,' the Saviour mocked as she put her own lunch on the table, along with the alcohol. She looked around the room and when she found what she was looking for, she walked towards one of the mayor's cabinets and returned with two cups.

'I don't daytime drink,' Regina opposed contemptuously. There was also the other detail that she was currently at work, a fact the sheriff had either missed or chosen to ignore.

'Well, I do,' Emma responded. 'And since I'm letting you handle my work schedule as you please, the least you can do is have a drink with me.'

The mayor couldn't argue with that logic so she kept her better judgement to herself while the Saviour poured her a glass. 'How did you sleep?'

Emma snorted, thinking the answer was obvious, until she realised the older woman was being serious. 'Great. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow,' she admitted as she unwrapped her sandwich.

'That's good. How do you feel?'

'Overall still tired, but I'm feeling refreshed for a change,' she replied in between bites and Regina nodded her approval. 'My turn. How did my dad react? I'm guessing you told him about my new schedule.'

The brunette pushed her salad around with her fork as she remembered the encounter. 'Better than I expected. He knew I was making excuses so you could catch up on your sleep but he told me it was alright and that I should do what needed to be done to keep Storybrooke safe.'

The sheriff frowned slightly. It sounded like a Charming thing to say but she had expected more a fight from her father considering who he had been talking to. To make matters worse, Regina added, 'I had him pegged wrong. It seems that we have more in common that I had originally thought.'

Too busy scowling at the mental image of her father and her friend becoming best buddies, Emma failed to notice the growing smirk on the mayor's face. 'Are you _jealous_ , Emma?' Regina asked smugly.

'What? No, why would I be?' She retorted defensively.

'You tell me.'

'I'm _not_ ,' she insisted, although who she was trying to convince, she wasn't sure. 'Next question.' She quickly changed the topic. 'What are these meetings going to be about?'

'Officially? The time portal. Unofficially, it's probably going to be small talk over breakfast,' Regina explained casually. 'Don't get me wrong, I do want to talk about the time portal with you since we're the only two people who actually went through it, but we can always do that with a glass of wine after dinner. The meetings were scheduled to give you more time in the morning.'

'That's actually sweet of you,' Emma commented.

Regina narrowed her eyes at the compliment. 'Don't get used to it.'

'Don't count yourself out, Regina,' the blonde said pensively. 'You're proving to be more good hearted than you claim to be.' Her mind wandered to the past few weeks filled with unprompted thoughtful gestures that had made her life just a bit easier.

The brunette huffed annoyingly. There was no point in denying it when the proof was in the way and maybe the fact that she was being uncharacteristically kind wasn't especially bad, but she still had a reputation to uphold. 'You're the exception to the rule,' she conceded.

The air in the room shifted at the admission and both women had felt the change. It wasn't uncomfortable and the playfulness that often accompanied their banters was still present, but it was more intimate and even though they had been here before, this time Emma had a feeling they were moving into uncharted territory.

'For what it's worth, I feel the same.'

Regina wore a confused look. 'You're already nice to everyone thanks to your Charming genes, and you would lay down your life for anyone in this town, I'm hardly the exception. As much as it pains me to say this, I am worth as much as that drunkard Leroy in your book.'

Emma frowned. The brunette had missed her point by a mile - or three thousand - and it saddened her that Regina seemed to think she was just another person to her when nothing could be further from the truth. 'You know that's not true, right? I mean sure, if I ever needed a drinking partner with worse habits than mine so I can feel better about my own alcohol consumption, then he would probably fit the bill,' she agreed lightheartedly because humour was her defence mechanism and things were definitely getting personal. 'Look, you're right. I did inherit the Charming genes and alongside those, I probably also got their hero complex.'

Regina quirked an eyebrow amusedly. She couldn't argue with that _,_ she just never believed the Saviour would be the one to say it out loud.

A small smile formed on Emma's lips at her reaction and she carried on. 'Maybe you're right, maybe I would sacrifice myself for anybody in this town because I'm the Saviour and it's kind of implied in the job description, but it would be out of obligation, not out of love. And if it ever came down to your life or mine, then I would give up mine without hesitation but it wouldn't have anything to do with me being the Saviour,' she promised. 'You're not just another townsperson to me, Regina. You don't run from your darkness so I know I can trust you with mine, you call me out on my shit and then some because bickering seems to be our default conversation mode, and no matter what happens I know you'll do right by me, even if it involves making the hard choices. So no, you're not on the same page as Leroy in my book, you're not even in the same chapter,' she assured certainly.

Regina's face was surprisingly devoid of any emotion - or maybe Emma's own feelings were so out of whack she had trouble deciphering her look - but her stormy eyes offered a glimpse of what she was feeling inside.  
'You may think it's noble that you're so willing to lay down your life but it is the single most idiotic thing I've heard come out of your mouth, and you have made many daft statements in the past three years,' the mayor finally said, her voice cold.

Emma frowned. 'Are you saying I should let you die instead?' She didn't understand why the older woman was being so rude about it, it wasn't like she _wanted_ to sacrifice her life, but in the unlikely scenario that only one of them got to live, she would pick Regina without a doubt.

'I'm saying that it won't come to that and even if it does, we'll find a way to save the both of us.' She spoke with such conviction that Emma wanted to believe that she was right. Despite the calmness of her tone, the mayor's brown eyes were glaring at her intensely and she briefly wondered if they would start shooting laser beams.

She wasn't fishing for compliments or thanks but she had still thought that the hypothetical gesture would've elicited more appreciation from the brunette. 'Why are you so mad at me for not wanting you to die?'

Regina looked at her as if she had asked her to give up her second-born to Hades even though it was physically impossible for her to bear a child. Sensing that the blonde had absolutely no clue what she was talking about, the mayor pursed her lips impatiently. 'Because the only thing I hear is that I-,' she faltered. If her words were going to hit the mark, she was going to have to be honest. 'The only thing my mind keeps picturing is Henry and I having to live without you.'

Suddenly, Emma heard the penny drop - loudly. It finally dawned on her why Regina was reacting the way she was and she felt like the biggest idiot in the world. 'Fuck, I'm dumb,' she muttered.

Regina raised an amused eyebrow. Although this was not the reaction she had expected, it was on par with the inarticulate yet expressive responses the sheriff had a tendency of spitting out.

The more the mayor regained her composure, the more Emma was losing hers. She knew exactly where the brunette was coming from, it was part of her own reasoning. After everything they had been through, she wasn't sure if she was able to live in a world without Regina, Henry or her parents and this stupid example that had escalated into what felt like an equally stupid fight, was her subconscious letting her know that she would in fact rather die than try to live without Regina - and if this wasn't a fucked up way to realise just how much she had grown attached to the woman, then she didn't know what was.

'Oh God,' she mumbled, feeling sick to her stomach at the knowledge.

'Emma?' Regina at least had the decency of sounding concerned and the tender look on her face that usually warmed the blonde's insides only worsened her discomfort.

Emma closed her eyes and tried to control her breathing but the only thing she could think about was how her lunch was threatening to defy the laws of physics and come out wrong side up. If her until five minutes ago suppressed, more than platonic feelings for the other mother of her child didn't push Regina away, then the vomit on her fancy carpet certainly would. The blonde was ready to bolt out of the door before she did something she'd regret when a soft hand landed on her back. She hadn't even noticed the mayor leave her desk to sit on the chair beside her.

'Emma,' Regina called out. 'Can you take a deep breath for me?'

Emma obliged automatically, her mind too scattered to do anything else than follow orders.

'You're doing great, Emma,' the brunette praised as her hand gently moved up and down in an attempt to soothe the woman in front of her. She matched the Saviour's breaths, quietly saying 'you're okay' every now and then as if speaking at a higher volume would startle the blonde. She watched carefully as the hunched shoulders opened up and the erratic breathing slowed down.

'Thanks.' Emma's voice sounded raspy.

'Do you want to talk about it?'

The answer would've been 'no' if it had been anybody else but considering it was Regina, 'abso-fucking-lutely not' was a more accurate response.

'I'd rather not,' she replied instead and she barely recognised the sound that came out of her mouth.

For once, Regina didn't push it. She didn't seem in a rush to take her hand off of the sheriff's body and Emma was glad because she didn't want her to.

'I'm sorry.' Emma was the first to break the silence.

'What for?'

She turned her head to face the frowning brunette. 'For freaking out in your office.'

'Don't be,' Regina rejected the unnecessary apology. She hesitated before asking her next question. 'Was that your first panic attack?'

The cautiousness with which she spoke let Emma know she wasn't expecting an answer if it was too personal.

'No,' the Saviour replied honestly. 'But it's been a while since I had my last one.' It seemed ridiculous to her that out of all the traumas she had gone through recently, this was the one her brain had deemed panic-worthy enough to lose her shit over in the mayor's office on a random Tuesday afternoon. When Regina's words had finally reached farther than her two ears, she threw her a questioning glance.

The mayor offered a sad smile as if she had been expecting the unasked question. 'Panic attacks aren't specific to this world.'

Emma's curiosity only grew at the reply but it was clear that that was a conversation for another time - or never, depending on Regina's willingness to share the information. The revelation that the Evil Queen had also experienced panic attacks explained why the brunette had managed to calm her down so effortlessly although the possibility of Regina's familiar presence being the sole requirement to ease Emma's anxiety was not lost on her.

'Do you still have them?' She pried, wondering if she was crossing a line by asking the question but Regina didn't seem particularly bothered by it.

'I don't,' she answered. 'But I do have the occasional nightmare,' she revealed, unexpectedly matching the Saviour's vulnerability to ensure that she didn't feel too open and uncomfortable. 'How are you feeling?' She checked in, putting a lid on the topic.

'Tired,' Emma responded for the second time that day, except this time she was mentally drained. 'I should probably head back.'

Regina nodded understandingly. 'Are you okay to drive?'

The blonde smiled softly at her obvious concern. 'I'll be fine. Thank you.' _For caring_. The two words remained unspoken but the mayor had received the message loud and clear.

She stood up and walked away, and Emma immediately missed the warmth of her touch. When she returned, she was holding out a glass of water and Emma accepted it gratefully. Regina leaned back against her desk and watched as the other woman rehydrated.

'What time are you coming home?' The sheriff inquired suddenly.

Regina stared at her blankly, caught off guard by her usage of the word 'home' although technically Regina was indeed going home. That didn't necessarily mean that Emma considered the mansion _her_ home. 'A little after 5,' she predicted. 'Henry should be back from school by 4 pm unless he texts me otherwise. You're welcome to stay here if you'd rather not be alone,' she offered.

Considering the latest development in her emotional life, Regina's office was the last place Emma should be. Even though a small part of her wanted nothing more than to stay in her comforting company, she knew she had to figure her shit out before she could do anything else. 'I think a little me-time will be good for me,' she mused before adding, 'and I might take a nap, but thank you.'

The brunette nodded again. Emma placed the now empty glass on the mayor's desk and Regina's gaze followed the movement, gladly noticing that her alcoholic drink had remained untouched for the most part. The blonde had taken a sip or two before her thirst for alcohol had done a 180 and the mere thought of it made her stomach clench. Emma stood from her seat and Regina straightened herself before pulling the other woman in an embrace. This time Emma had seen the hug coming and she practically melted in Regina's arms.

'Call me if you need anything,' the mayor told her as they pulled away.

Emma nodded. She suspected she wasn't going to need anything in the three hours they would be apart but saying she was going to be fine seemed redundant at this point. She could've sworn Regina's gaze had flickered down to her lips but she chalked it up to her eyes seeing what they wanted to see without any proof because that was a more plausible explanation than the mayor possibly reciprocating her feelings. She reached behind the brunette and collected their trash before saying, 'I'll see you later, Regina.'

Once Emma had arrived at the mayoral mansion, she quickly changed into loungewear and sent a selfie to Regina, knowing she was probably wondering if she had gotten home safely. She wasn't expecting a reply but she was pleasantly surprised when her phone chimed as she headed to the living room.

 **_Regina_ ** _: Get some rest x_

Emma grinned and flopped into the couch.

 **_Emma_ ** _: Stop texting me and get back to work, madam Mayor_

 **_Regina:_ ** _That's rich coming from you_

 **_Emma_ ** _: You benched me, don't blame me for your decisions_

 **_Regina_ ** _: True, although I don't seem to notice any difference with your usual workday, Sheriff_

 **_Emma_ ** _: That's because you're the main nuisance in this town and while you're busy judging my sitting posture at the station, Storybrooke is trouble free and doesn't require my immediate services_

 **_Regina_ ** _: I would be careful who I call a nuisance if I were you, Miss Swan x_

Emma's cheeks hurt because she couldn't stop smiling at their exchange. The small x at the end only made the text more threatening and she had to admit she had missed the moniker.

 **_Emma_ ** _: What are you going to do? Put me under a sleeping curse? We both know you'd miss me too much_

 **_Regina_ ** _: There are many ways I can make your life hell while you're conscious, Emma. Don't test me_

 **_Emma_ ** _: I wouldn't dare, Your Majesty_

The Saviour stared at her phone, impatiently waiting for the mayor's reply. Mocking her definitely fell under testing her but pushing Regina's buttons had always been one of her favourite pass times.

 **_Regina_ ** _: You're insufferable_

 **_Emma_ ** _: You taught me well then_

 **_Regina_ ** _: Am I supposed to believe you weren't as intolerable during the first 28 years of your life?_

 **_Emma_ ** _: Oh yeah, I was a perfect angel until I met you_

 **_Regina_ ** _: An angel who made questionable life choices and ended up being pregnant in prison?_

 **_Emma_ ** _: Exemplary, right?_

 **_Regina_ ** _: As in serving as an example of what not to do, correct_

 **_Emma_ ** _: Alright, Merriam-Webster, no need to call me out like that_

 **_Regina_ ** _: Can't handle the truth?_

 **_Emma_ ** _: I can barely handle waking up at 7 am so that's a hard no_

Regina seemed to remember the reason why Emma had gone home because her next words read: _Stop distracting me and catch up on your zzz's x_

 _'You're always welcome to stop texting me if I'm so distracting, madam Mayor'_ was Emma's reply and it was more effective than she had hoped because the mayor didn't text her back after that. The blonde opened her music application and put a 'chill' playlist on featuring Oh Wonder and Cigarettes After Sex, before she carelessly threw her phone on the coffee table and let the day's events sink in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think of the chapter (tip: comments and kudos make the author very happy).


	8. the calm before the storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff fluff fluff-ish? Anyway, thanks for making it this far!

Emma's sleep patterns were inconsistent at best and unhealthy at worst. On some nights she slept like a rock, the full eight hours required to function optimally, and on others she stayed up all night, staring at the ceiling as she inevitably contemplated her life. Tonight fell under the second category and even Regina's ridiculously comfortable mattress couldn't provide a reprieve.

By the time 3 am came around, Emma had successfully reflected upon her formative and teenage years up until she had run away from her last group home. Before she could ponder the mistakes that had defined the next stage of her life, a sound cut through the silence of the night and she lay completely still in her bed, her mind flashing to ghosts, intruders and monsters as possible culprits.

'Emma...'

Emma sat up, feeling like her heart was in her mouth. Her eyes darted to the open door - a habit she had picked up as a result of her time spent in various foster homes - and slowly got out of bed. She had recognised the soft voice as Regina's and she took a peak inside the mayor's bedroom. The rustling of the sheets was a clear sign of a restless night and Emma stepped inside, quietly walking to the sleeping figure.

An anxious 'Mother, don't-' fell off of the brunette's lips and Emma suddenly remembered Regina saying she still had nightmares. The Saviour was rooted in place as she debated whether or not she should wake the frightened woman up. Fortunately, she didn't have to think too hard or too long because Regina suddenly sat up gasping for air.

Seeing the shadowy figure by her bed, she quickly readied a fireball in her hand and Emma copied the movement with the sole purpose of using the white magic to illuminate her face.

A noise resembling a yelp escaped her mouth. 'It's me, Emma!'

With the new source of light brightening up the room, Emma saw the unfamiliar fear in the other woman's eyes.

Regina closed her fist aggressively and clenched her jaw before closing her eyelids for a moment to calm her pounding heart.

'For fuck's sake, Emma. What are you doing in my room?' She questioned harshly.

Emma had to admit that her chosen position of standing by the bed, looking over Regina's sleeping figure was extremely creepy from any perspective. In her defence - which wasn't much of a defence - she hadn't expected Regina to wake up before she could assume a less stalker-ish stance.

'I'm sorry,' she whisper-yelled. 'I couldn't sleep and I heard a noise so I thought I'd check it out and then you woke up.'

Even in the darkness, she could see the exhaustion on Regina's face and as she watched the other woman consider her words, she wondered if she should bring up the fact that she had heard her say her name. _Not yet_ , she decided since it looked like the brunette was still recuperating from the bad dream and minor heart attack.

It took a full minute for Emma to realise Regina wasn't going to say anything and she wasn't sure how to interpret her silence. Did she want to go back to sleep? Did she want her to leave? Or stay? Was she ambivalent about the whole situation and just waiting to see what she was going to do next?

'Are you okay?' She finally asked. She didn't want to leave the brunette to her own devices, not when she was staring at her with a strange look in her eyes and a raw vulnerability she was too tired to hide.

'I'm fine.'

That was a lie and they both knew it. As the Saviour contemplated her next move, her mind flashed back to a conversation she had had with Regina about a young Henry. Whenever he had a nightmare, he would come to Regina's room in the middle of the night and crawl into her bed, finding solace in his mother - this was the reason why Regina always left her door open a crack.

An idea popped into her head and her instincts were telling her to follow through with it. She started to walk away from Regina's side of the bed and she could feel the brown eyes trailing after her. There was something so uncharacteristically Regina about the brunette's behaviour and Emma didn't know if it was the continuous silence or the mixture of longing and terror in her gaze that unsettled her the most. Whatever she had dreamt of - and Emma had apparently made an appearance - had rattled her so much she was behaving like a zombie.

'May I?' The blonde asked when she had reached the other side of the bed, hoping she hadn't completely misread the situation. Regina wasn't the type to seek comfort in others no matter how desperately she was craving it. Emma knew this because it was the same way she was wired and although she hadn't lived the seemingly universal experience of a child sleeping next to their parent after a bad dream, she remembered the envy she had felt when one of her foster parents' own kids did have the privilege of doing that.

Regina's small nod was the green light she had been waiting for and Emma was pleased to see that the fear in the brown eyes had been replaced by curiosity. She slipped under the covers and joined the other woman in the queen size bed. There was something so innocent about the moment that she couldn't help but smile at the brunette as she rolled on her side to face her.

'Hi.'

Regina looked down at her from her seated position, her back against the headboard, and quirked an eyebrow. 'Hey.'

'Do you want to talk about it?'

The mayor's answer was short and blunt. 'No.'

This was Emma's cue to drop the matter but she had never been good at leaving well enough alone. 'Are you sure? Because I heard you say my name and if you refuse to elaborate on that, then I'll just assume you had a sexy dream about me,' she teased, hoping the joke would ease some of the tension.

'Someone seems to have a high opinion of themselves,' the brunette commented in a tone that let her know that the sentiment was not, in fact, shared by the general public, which in this case consisted of one person: Regina.

'Only in this particular area of expertise,' the sheriff assured with a grin.

Regina narrowed her eyes and a beat passed before she spoke. 'I'll take you at your word.'

'Why don't you find out for yourself?' Emma smirked. The flirty banter was giving life to her growing crush while simultaneously killing her young heart because she knew it would never lead to anything.

'I wouldn't want to destroy what little confidence you seem to have with my _expertise_ ,' the mayor answered coolly.

Emma's jaw dropped at the reply. The last thing she had expected was for the other woman to flirt back and her heart fluttered at the thought of the unfiltered sentences she was going to be able to slip into their future conversations. 'Are you saying that you're better at hooking up than I am?'

'That implies a casual sexual relationship so not hooking up perse, but sex? You'd be surprised,' Regina told her with a cocky smirk.

The blonde felt like the look on the older woman's face would be enough to make her come undone and her stomach tightened at the indiscreet thoughts that suddenly popped into her mind. She licked her lips and swallowed down her arousal before redirecting the conversation to the original topic. 'If this was supposed to convince me that you weren't dreaming about sexy times with me, then I have to say you're doing a terrible job.'

The change of course wasn't lost on Regina and she raised her eyebrow in amusement. 'Is this making you uncomfortable?' She asked because shying away from a playful banter was not Emma's style.

The blonde blamed the late hour and lack of sleep for the unwarranted honesty that came out of her mouth. 'It's turning me on.' Her eyes widened at her own admission and she was glad the darkness in the room covered up the rosy colour in her cheeks. 'Anyway.'

The mayor looked inexplicably pleased with herself, as if she had successfully completed her mission and it threw Emma for a loop. While she was aware of her own intensifying feelings for the other woman, she didn't know what these mixed signals from Regina meant. She had made her peace with the fact that the brunette was out of her league, straight and not into her, but this affectionate and flirty side of Regina was building her hopes up and even though life had repeatedly taught her that hope led to expectations that in turn led to disappointment, she couldn't help but wonder if the other woman felt the same way.

'Your dream,' the blonde recalled.

Regina sighed, sensing that there was no way to get out of discussing the matter. 'My dream,' she echoed.

'That I was in,' Emma continued since Regina wasn't planning to.

'Correct.'

'From which you woke up gasping for air.'

'Yes.' Regina tore her gaze away from the blonde and stared straight ahead as the series of images replayed in her brain. Her eyes glazed over and she watched her mother rip the Saviour's heart out before turning it to dust. 'You died,' was her sudden explanation.

Emma blinked. 'Come again?'

The brunette shook herself out of the memory and turned her head. 'I dreamt that you had died.' She left out the part where she had basically relived her first love's murder but instead of Daniel, it was Emma who had been in the stables. Despite the fairytale land, the magic and the forces that steered their lives in one way or the other, Regina wasn't a superstitious person. However the fact that the blonde had taken the place of her first love in that specific scene was a clear wake up call - literally and figuratively. At least she knew Emma was into her, superficially if nothing else, that much was obvious based on their previous interaction. The question was whether or not a relationship was in the cards considering their history and personalities.

'I-, how?'

'Your heart,' the mayor supplied. 'Cora crushed it.'

Emma understood now why the woman had reacted the way she had. Something about the account sounded familiar and she wondered who else had been unfortunate enough to suffer such a fate. Realisation struck her like a lightning bolt. 'Oh. _Oh_.'

Instead of offering a verbal response, Regina slid down in her bed so she was lying on her back and staring at the ceiling.

'Is that-,' the blonde paused. 'Is that what happened to Daniel?'

That was _exactly_ what happened to Daniel. 'In some respects.'

'I'm sorry,' Emma offered.

Regina turned her head and studied her. 'You apologise too much,' she noticed.

The Saviour shrugged as best she could lying down. 'No one wants to be reminded of their first love dying, so I'd say it's justified on my part.'

'Unless you have the ability to control other people's dreams, your apology is not justified,' the brunette refuted.

Both women stared at each other for a moment. The night had taken a turn neither of them had expected but they didn't mind. Emma wore a lazy smile on her face and Regina had a feeling she wasn't even aware of the joy that emanated from her.

'Thank you,' she told her quietly, unwilling to disturb the serene space that surrounded them.

Tired green eyes met her gaze with a question.

'For staying,' she clarified. _In Storybrooke, in our lives, in my bed_.

Emma's eyelids fluttered shut. 'Thanks for making me realise you're my home.' Too exhausted to notice her slip-up, she asked, 'what time is it?'

Regina watched the blonde slowly lose consciousness before her brain registered the question. She reached for her phone on the nightstand and checked the time. 'Nearly 5 am.'

The Saviour hummed and snuggled closer to the brunette without touching her. 'Good night, Regina,' she mumbled.

'Good night, Emma,' the mayor returned although her words never seemed to have reached the sleeping woman's ears.

* * *

Emma was a cuddler, Regina was not. That much was clear when the mayor woke up the next day with Emma's arm across her waist and their legs tangled together. Surprisingly, her first reaction was _not_ to pull away and make a comment about how the Saviour should keep her body parts to herself. Instead she tenderly pushed the blond hair out of Emma's face and watched the sleeping figure beside her. Even though it usually bothered her to stay in bed longer than five minutes after waking up, she could've stayed in this position all day for all she cared. She knew it wasn't an option because Henry would wake up soon if he hadn't already and he would start wondering what his mothers were up to if they didn't show up for breakfast.

When a half hour passed and Emma still didn't show any sign of regaining consciousness, Regina gently detached herself from the blonde and placed a lingering kiss on her forehead - an act she usually only reserved for their son. She quietly got dressed and stepped out of her room at the same time Henry stepped out of his.

'Mum? Did you only just wake up?' His voice was laced with confusion.

'Good morning, Henry,' she greeted pointedly, reminding the boy that they were well-mannered people. 'And no, I've been awake for some time,' she assured. 'I was just keeping to myself.'

'Oh. Okay,' Henry accepted without further questions. 'Where's Emma?'

Regina paused. 'Why?'

Her son shrugged. 'I walked by her room and she wasn't there but her Bug is still outside.'

'She's in my room.' The confidence with which she had spoken surprised her because she certainly feel that way. 'I had a nightmare and she kept me company,' she explained.

'Oh, like when I used to come into your room when I had a bad dream?'

'Exactly.' Regina watched her son fondly and waited patiently, knowing from the pensive look on his face that there was something on his mind.

That something came in the form of a question that knocked the wind out of her. 'Are you guys dating?'

'We're not,' the mayor replied before adding a curious, 'but would it bother you if we did?'

Henry shrugged. 'She makes you happy and you do the same for her,' he pointed out. 'All I've wanted for you is to get your happy ending, Mum. Besides we'd be a real family, so that would be cool.'

Regina smiled at her son. Despite everything they had been through, he was turning into a fine young man with a purer heart than she could've hoped for. She opened her arms and the boy instinctively fell into her embrace. 'I'm not saying there's something going on between Emma and me,' she clarified over his head, 'but whatever happens, you know I'll only do what's in our best interest, right?'

Henry chuckled at his mother's protective nature. 'I know,' he promised. 'But before you make any decisions, don't forget that having Emma around has been good for us, good for you.'

The parent stayed silent for a moment because part of her knew her son was right. Through the ups and the downs of their relationship, Emma had proven to be a shoulder to lean on, a source of laughter and a pain in the ass. Somehow the blonde made the combination of the three work and Regina had to admit she had never felt happier than she had in the past few months.

'You're turning out to be a very smart young man,' the brunette told her son before placing a kiss on his short, brown hair and releasing her hold. 'Thank you for your advice, Henry.'

'Are you grateful enough to make me pancakes for breakfast?' The boy asked cheekily.

Regina ruffled his hair playfully. 'Only if you help me. Come on, I'll teach you how to make them.' With her hands on his shoulders, she guided him down the stairs to the kitchen to make the sweet breakfast food.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Henry gets it. His mums should shack up. Leave a kudos/comment if you agree!


	9. curse her name

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hold on to your hearts, peeps. It is time for some angst. Enjoy!  
> Also, I've been listening to 'folklore' by Taylor Swift so there might be some references in this and future chapter(s). Bonus points if you spot them!
> 
> Flashbacks are written in italics.

Regina had hoped that their impromptu sleepover and her half-hearted confession to herself about her growing feelings for the blonde would bring them closer, but it seemed that the universe had different plans for them. If anything, they were slowly falling apart and the mayor didn't have a clue why it was happening or how to stop it. Emma's apartment hunting which until then had seemingly been put on pause, suddenly got fast-tracked and the Saviour was moving out of the mayoral mansion in two days' time.

Regina knew their living arrangements were only temporary but the haste with which Emma was packing her bags and moving out was highly unusual. Every time she tried to broach the subject, the blonde would give her a half-assed answer or dismiss her completely, and while Regina wasn't the type to lose sleep over evasive responses, this was personal. It hurt her that Emma was reverting back to her old ways for some reason, especially when it came to their relationship.

It was dark outside by the time the mayor had seated herself on the couch in her living room with nothing but a bottle of wine and her thoughts to entertain herself. Despite the alcohol that was coursing through her veins, she could vividly recall her recent interactions with the Saviour and they started playing in her mind like reruns.

*  
_There were sitting in the living room after dinner and Henry had already gone to bed, leaving the pair in each other's company._

_'Hey, Emma? Can I talk to you about something?'_

_The blonde hummed noncommittally._

_'Is everything okay?'_

_Hearing the worry in the mayor's voice, she looked up from her phone. 'Yeah, of course. Why do you ask?'_

_Regina hesitated. 'I'm glad you found your own place,' she started and she meant it. 'But it just seems sudden. You know you're welcome to stay here until it's ready, right? You don't have to rush the process if you're only doing it to get out of our hair.'_

_Emma frowned. 'It's not exactly sudden, I've been planning this for a few months now,' she argued confusedly. 'As for the rush, I'm just excited to move into my own place,' she reasoned with a shrug._

_That was a bullshit excuse if ever there was one. Regina had seen an excited Emma Swan and this was not her but before she could call her out on her terrible lying, the Saviour got up from the couch. 'I'm going to sleep. Good night, Regina.'_

_The mayor furrowed her brows as the other woman left the room. At 10 pm? She knew for a fact that Emma would be lying awake in bed for the next hour or two because that was the way her circadian rhythm operated. It wasn't the first time the blonde had been short with her and Regina wondered what was going on in her mind, but Emma clearly wasn't ready to talk about it yet so the only thing she could do was to give her some space._

*  
_There was a knock on Regina's bedroom door before it swung open and Emma leaned against the frame. There was a question on her lips but she paused when she saw what the brunette was wearing._

_'Are you going somewhere?' She asked instead._

_'I have a meeting this afternoon,' Regina answered as she closed the buttons of her white shirt one by one._

_'On a Saturday?'_

_'It's a foreign trade minister and today was his only free day before he returned to Japan,' she explained, catching Emma's eye in the mirror. 'What?' She asked when she saw the other woman smile a bit._

_'I always thought that you being the mayor was just a cover during the first curse but even now, you're still doing all these mayoral things,' the blonde mused._

_The mayor quirked an eyebrow. 'This town isn't going to run itself,' she pointed out. 'The curse was broken and the clock started ticking. We had to keep up with the rest of the world or get left behind.'_

_'Makes sense,' Emma concurred before remembering what she had come to Regina's room for. 'We're having breakfast at Granny's with my parents. You should come.'_

_Regina paused her movements before she continued to tie the black tie around her neck. 'Sounds like a family reunion. I wouldn't want to impose,' she replied, feeling the green eyes watch her from the doorway._

_'Henry wants you to be there,' the sheriff argued._

_Regina chuckled unexpectedly. 'How could I refuse such a welcoming offer?' She wondered sarcastically. 'Henry knows I love him and I'd do anything to make him happy, but I won't purposefully put myself - or you - in a needlessly uncomfortable situation where the majority of the company wishes I wasn't present.'_

_'That's not true,' Emma protested. 'You and my dad have a lot in common, remember? That's what you said and my mum knows you're Henry's mother and she respects that.'_

_'So, I went from being your father's enemy to his acquaintance and your mother tolerates me,' the brunette summarised. 'This should be fun. What about you?' She asked with a raised eyebrow._

_'I want you to come.' Her words were sweet but her tone made it sound like she was only saying that because it was the polite thing to say, not because she actually wanted her to tag along._

_Regina rolled her eyes. 'Well, don't sound too excited.'_

_'I mean it,' the blonde promised. 'By the way, you look amazing.'_

_She didn't mean it. There were at the diner and somehow the person Regina had had the most conversation with was Mary Margaret. The number of times she had glanced at Emma with the hope that the blonde would meet her gaze was embarrassingly high and she stopped once she realised her efforts were futile. Even though they did make eye contact every now and then, they only lasted a second before Emma quickly turned away. The Saviour was apparently also making it her mission to talk to either one of her parents or Henry or to address the whole group collectively, but never Regina individually._

_Fortunately, Mary Margaret was on her best behaviour and perhaps it had something to do with the fact that Granny had temporarily relieved her from her parenting duties with Neal, but she proved to be the most pleasant adult company at the table much to Regina's own surprise._

_They had been discussing the unusual calmness that had descended over Storybrooke when Regina made the mistake of looking at the Saviour, another glance unmet._

_Mary Margaret had noticed the tension between the two friends and she couldn't keep it to herself anymore. 'Is everything okay between you two?' She questioned with concern. Admittedly she had had her reservations about their relationship in the beginning but it became clear to her that the former Evil Queen had no hidden agenda and that she truly did care for her daughter and grandson._

_'We're fine,' Emma replied shortly. It was obvious that Regina held a very different opinion but a public diner wasn't the time or place to hash it out. Despite her concern, Mary Margaret was aware that their friendship wasn't any of her business so she let it go._

*

Regina bitterly remembered how the blonde had told her she was the exception to the rule as she took a considerable sip from the alcoholic drink; Emma was still her unchanged pleasant self with everyone in Storybrooke - except Regina. The mayor cursed herself for being so careless, she should've known better than to fall for the other woman. Now she had been left to deal with the ruins of an unexpected friendship on her own without even knowing why it had failed. She blinked back tears and aggressively stared at the clock hanging on the wall in the living room. It was close to one am and she was sitting on her luxurious couch, a single dim light tasked with illuminating the vast space. Emma was having dinner with her parents that evening - or so she said - and she still hadn't come home. Regina hadn't intended to stay up and drink herself into a stupor while she waited. She would've rather gone to bed at a reasonable hour and been fast asleep by the time the blonde crept back into the house, but she was too worried and angry and sad to do either of those things.

By the time she had finished her fifth glass, she heard the lock turn followed by soft footsteps in the foyer. She wondered if the sheriff would even bother coming in the room once she noticed the light was still on.

Emma was treading as lightly as her boots allowed, hoping she wouldn't wake the other residents when she caught the low glow in the living room. She paused her steps and frowned. 'Regina?' She peered inside and spotted the silhouette of the woman in question, accompanied by an empty bottle of wine and an equally empty glass on the coffee table in front of her. Emma joined her in near darkness and she held her hand out. 'You're drunk.' Her mind flashed back to the other time she had said those exact words and she had a feeling the conversation wasn't going to be as pleasant.

'You're late.' It was as if they were having that same exchange backwards.

Emma rolled her eyes. 'It's not like I have a curfew.'

Regina knew she was right, but she could've texted to say she was going to be home late, or told her beforehand she didn't know when she would return and not to wait up for her, anything to ease her worry. The worst part was that if it had been seven days earlier, she knew Emma would've done it spontaneously. Seeing as hiding their thoughts and emotions was the new norm in their friendship, if it could even be called one, Regina bit her tongue.

Touch-starved as she was, the mayor couldn't resist taking the other woman's hand and she let herself be pulled up from her seat. Although the room wasn't spinning yet, she did feel lightheaded. She leaned against the strong body for support and her heart fluttered when she felt the blonde readily wrap an arm around her waist to keep her from falling over. Regina hated herself for enjoying the close proximity but she had missed their nearly instinctive connection.

'Why are you doing this?' She asked and she realised her brain had unconsciously formulated the question so it was also applicable to their situation in general and not just to Emma helping Regina get to bed.

The sheriff apparently hadn't received the memo that the question was layered. 'Because we're friends and that's what friends do,' she replied confusedly once they had reached the brunette's bedroom.

'Are we? I couldn't tell anymore,' Regina told her honestly and she quickly untangled herself from the warm body before she grew attached again.

The frown on Emma's face deepened. 'What? Of course we are, unless you don't want us to be?'

'I don't know. Stop treating me like a fucking stranger and I might consider it,' the mayor bit back. The harsh tone and the cursing suddenly reminded the Swan woman that Regina had been drinking and now was probably not the right time to have this talk. Despite the nearly flawless articulation of her words, Emma knew the older woman was pretty far gone. Still, there was no way she was going to drop the subject until she was satisfied with the answers she received or she passed out - whichever came first.

The sheriff sighed. 'What are you talking about?' She was aware that she had been keeping her distance from Regina because the more time she spent with her, the more her crush seemed to grow into something serious and real, and even though she thoroughly enjoyed living with the Mills', she couldn't keep hurting herself multiple times a day with the reminder that Regina would never love her like she did. She knew their friendship would suffer the consequences but she hadn't realise just how much it had changed.

Regina laughed humourlessly. 'You have the audacity to act like you don't know? I'm talking about how you can barely look at me, let alone make eye contact with me, and how you'd rather talk to anyone else but me. You've been avoiding me this past week and I've been trying to figure out why but I have no idea what made you change your mind like that. I've been patient with you and I've given you the benefit of the doubt, but you've been acting like I'm not even worth your time so I'm done. This is the last time I'm asking you this, why are you doing this?'

Emma was shocked into silence. She had been conscious of her behavioural change the previous days, weeks even, but she hadn't known it had been so obvious and detrimental to the other woman. She knew Regina's drunken words were a goldmine because there was no way she would be this brutally honest about her feelings when she was sober. The blonde wished she could return the transparency and be truthful, but she couldn't, not this time, and if their friendship had reached its abrupt ending, then she would rather leave with her pride still intact than have it lying somewhere on Regina's bedroom floor.

'I-,' Emma faltered. The mayor's brown eyes were shining with pain, betrayal and sadness. It had never been her intention to hurt Regina but it seemed like any path she took from here would inevitably lead to a painful outcome. 'I need space, Regina,' she said, trying to be as honest as she could without revealing the real reason she was pulling away. 'I need to figure out who I am and what I want. That apartment will be the first place I've ever owned, this is a huge milestone for me. '

'For God's sake, Emma. Say what you mean,' Regina snapped impatiently. 'You need space from _me_. I got that part loud and clear, I just don't understand _why_.'

Emma was at a loss for words. It suddenly dawned on her that it wasn't vindictiveness that was driving Regina's anger, but emotional distress. She had trusted her, Emma had let her down, and now she was wondering why because Emma had explicitly told her she could. The realisation made Emma feel like an asshole, however she had to appreciate how much the mayor had grown since their first meeting. She sighed. 'I can't tell you, Regina. It would ruin our friendship.'

Regina scoffed. 'That would imply that there is one to ruin.' She knew she was skating on thin ice, her words shot to kill when she was mad, especially when she was drunk and had no filter whatsoever. Sensing that her harsh tone wasn't exactly helping the other woman open up, she briefly steadied herself on the edge of her bed - the long period of keeping herself upwards having not alleviated the effects of alcohol - before approaching the other woman.

'Emma.' The mayor's mind went blank after that. Part of her wanted to say _'that's all I've got'_ and go to sleep, but Regina knew that having the blonde's attention for more than five minutes was a rare occurrence these days so it was now or never. She hated herself for picking a fight on the one night she wasn't even remotely sober but maybe red wine was the liquid courage she needed to let her feelings run like water. Emma smirked slightly at her obvious inebriated state and the fact that she had missed the smug expression surprised the brunette. 'I know you, Emma,' she finally said. 'You don't want to go and I don't want you to leave, so can't we just go back to the way we were?'

Green eyes grew soft. 'You're right, but since you know me so well, you also know I wouldn't ask for space unless there was a good reason behind it.'

''Ask' wouldn't have been my first choice of word,' Regina muttered under her breath. 'What does this mean then? For us?' If their discussion had gone so poorly, she couldn't expect the conclusion to be any less disheartening but a shrinking part of her still hoped they could maintain their previous friendship. At the risk of sounding desperate, she asked, 'can we still be friends?' Because even though her adoration for the blonde had become borderline obsessive and space was exactly what they needed, it was the last thing she _wanted_. The high she felt when she was around the other woman by far outweighed the pain she would feel when she eventually crashed and burned either because their friendship had ended or because Emma had found herself a significant other. This feeling, this willingness to risk it all for someone else was new and rare, and Regina wasn't ready to let go of it just yet.

Emma hesitated and that was all the reminder Regina needed to remember that every relationship was a two-way street. She could give her trust and her love to the blonde, but it wouldn't mean anything if Emma didn't reciprocate it. 'Sure. The only thing that'll change is that you'll only need to put up with me during the workday instead of 24/7,' the sheriff teased.

'You should've told me that before and I would've kicked you out sooner,' Regina returned with a small smile. At least their playful banter had risen from the dead. She knew more would change than the duration and frequency of their meet-ups and she knew Emma knew she knew but nothing she could say would change the Saviour's mind.

Brown eyes met green as the women stared at each other. Emma could see the emotions swirling on the mayor's face and the sadness, disappointment and nostalgia had all been expected. What stunned her was the love that was running riot in the older woman's dark eyes. She tilted her head in confusion. 'Regina.' There was an urgency in her voice and she momentarily wondered if she was making the biggest mistake of her life by walking away from the marvellous woman in front of her. 'Do you-?' _Love me?_ She shook her head. 'Never mind. You should go to sleep.'

Regina watched her curiously, wondering how the unfinished question was supposed to end before answering, 'so do you.'

The blonde smiled softly. 'Think you'll manage to get to bed in one piece?'

The mayor shrugged loosely. 'If I'm too intoxicated to make the trip, I doubt I'd have trouble sleeping on the floor.'

'Point taken.' Emma chuckled. 'Your back will appreciate the soft mattress though and since you're probably going to feel like death in the morning, you won't need any more reasons to want to kill yourself.'

Regina smiled tiredly at her concern. 'I'll be fine,' she promised.

Knowing this was possibly the last time she would get the chance to do this, Emma wrapped her arms around the mayor's body, taking in the scent of red wine and apples as she did so. She felt Regina tighten her hold and it was nearly enough to make her change her mind about everything. The blonde pulled away and stepped back when she felt herself getting carried away. She watched the brunette wobble to the centre of her bedroom and climb into bed.

'Hey, Regina?' She called out. 'I should've texted you this evening. I'm sorry.'

Regina waved the apology off clumsily. 'It's fine.' She ignored the small voice in her head that reminded her of the internal rant she had gone on earlier that night. At least she had gotten a conversation and a hug out of it, so she couldn't really complain.

'Good night, Regina.' Emma's voice wafted through the room before she turned the lights off.

'Good night, Emma.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think? Are your hearts still intact? Let me know!!


	10. share your address

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title was inspired by Ben Platt's song 'Share Your Address'.  
> A round of applause for Ruby - the unsung hero and OG Swanqueen shipper (along with Henry of course).  
> Does this qualify as Angst and Fluff? Or just fluff?  
> Anyway, enjoy the read!
> 
> Regina's outfit is the one she wore in S7E18

Two months had passed since Emma had officially moved out of the mayoral mansion and settled into her apartment. Her relationship with her parents had improved significantly and her mood had brightened - everything seemed to be falling into place. The only exception being her recent interactions with the mayor, those had been awkward and bordering on uncomfortable. Unfortunately, distancing herself from Regina only led to missing the brunette more to the point where she couldn't even pretend that she didn't have feelings for her. Despite the clear-cut revelation, she still had no idea how to proceed. Should she put her feelings in a box and let them gather dust? Should she bury them six feet under and mourn the future she had daydreamed for herself which included waking up next to Regina, kissing her and slow dancing with her in the living room among other things? Or should she profess her love for the other woman like the protagonist of a romcom would do? She snorted. Although not a habit to take pride in, Emma ran _from_ uneasy situations, not towards them.

A familiar voice interrupted her musings. 'Your order's ready, Sheriff.'

She focused her attention on the friendly face and smiled. 'Thanks, Ruby,' she said before grabbing the coffee and the paper bag on the counter containing her breakfast.

Ruby winked in return. 'Hey, we're still on for tomorrow night, right?'

Emma blinked. 'Dinner at your place with Elsa and Belle, remember?' The waitress reminded.

The blonde nodded as the memory of the planned get together trickled back into her consciousness. 'Right, of course. I'm sorry, I was thinking about... stuff, but I didn't forget,' she promised and she really hadn't. She had already decided on pasta for the menu and bought enough food to feed three people and a wolf.

'Were you thinking about a certain someone who's currently wearing a grey tank top tucked in black dress pants with a dark grey shirt, a floral leather jacket and black heels?' Ruby asked knowingly.

Emma frowned in confusion. 'I was talking about Regina, but that doesn't sound like her.'

The brunette smirked and nodded towards the door. Sure enough, the woman occupying most of her thoughts was standing just outside of the diner. It was obvious that she had been on her way in when one of the townspeople had interrupted her for what looked like an unpleasant discussion.

The Saviour turned back around with a panicked look in her eyes. 'I know you could probably write a 3-page essay about how I won't stop talking about Regina but could you like, not mention it please?' She begged her friend. 'I'll do anything you want.'

The sight of the usually coolheaded blonde losing her shit over a woman only caused Ruby's smugness to grow. 'I could write a _book_ about your undying love for the mayor,' she corrected. 'But fine, I'll be on my best behaviour,' she promised dejectedly.

'Thank you.' Emma breathed out a sigh of relief now that the threat of embarrassment had been neutralised.

'Although I still maintain the opinion that you should tell her how you feel,' the brunette added. She rolled her eyes at the look of disbelief on the sheriff's face. 'I've seen the way she looks at you, Emma. It's like you hung the whole damn galaxy and based on what you've told me about your time together, it's clear that your feelings aren't as one sided as you think.'

The blonde was too nervous to process her friend's words. Instead she reminded, 'not a word,' before quickly looking over her shoulder. 'She's coming this way, act normal,' she instructed.

The waitress watched with amusement as the sheriff moved her arms around in an attempt to find the most casual position. She settled with putting them both on the counter and crossed her left arm over her right wrist. Ruby snorted. 'Right. 'Normal'.'

Emma shot her a look as the clicking sound of high heels stopped behind her.

'Regina!' Ruby smiled.

The mayor raised an eyebrow at the enthused greeting. 'Wolfie,' she returned amicably.

The waitress grinned at the nickname. Although not the best of friends, the pair had grown close over the years. 'Your usual?' She asked.

'Yes. Thank you,' Regina replied with a small smile.

Ruby left the pair to pass the order down to the kitchen and Emma took that as her cue to turn around and face the other mother of her child. 'Regina, hey,' she said, injecting a small dose of surprise in her tone even though she had been aware of her presence since before she had even stepped into the diner.

'Emma.' The brunette didn't feel the need to pretend that she hadn't walked up to that exact spot at the counter with the hope that the blonde would meet her halfway and turn around. A sigh escaped her lips as she took in the woman in front of her. She had missed her dearly.

'New look?' Emma's voice pierced through her musings.

Regina automatically looked down at her outfit before nodding. 'I noticed a lack of casual clothing in my closet so I did a little shopping,' she explained. Her eyes had gone back to her outerwear and she grabbed the soft fabric pensively. 'The jacket reminded of you,' she admitted.

A look of surprise crossed the sheriff's face at the confession. 'It's beautiful and it looks really good on you,' she complimented honestly. 'I love it.'

'How are you? How's the apartment?' The brunette asked, desperately wanting to change the topic before the blush on her cheeks became apparent.

The habitual 'I'm fine' was on the tip of the blonde's tongue and she paused for a moment. Truthfully she _was_ fine when she wasn't thinking about Regina, but since that woman occupied nearly all of her thoughts, she figured those two words were a lie. 'Great,' she said instead, purposefully keeping her reply vague so it could be used as an answer for both questions. 'You should stop by some time,' she invited. 'And actually step into the apartment this time instead of staying at the door,' she teased, referring to the numerous occasions when the mayor had come to pick their son up from her place without entering the flat.

'As long as there'll be enough space between us to make you feel comfortable, Sheriff,' Regina replied casually. She knew it was a cheap shot, she was rubbing salt into the wound but she couldn't help it. They had been acting as if everything was fine and dandy between them for the past two months, and as much as she enjoyed being Emma's friend rather than just a random stranger, she couldn't pretend that they hadn't been close once or that she didn't want them to share that level of intimacy again.

Emma pursed her lips. She was in no mood to fight and the mayor seemed to have the exact opposite desire. 'Alright, Regina. I'm going to the station. The offer still stands if you want to see more than the front door of my apartment.' She took a step back and waved at Ruby before she nodded at the mayor and headed for the exit.

Regina sighed and nervously twisted the watch around her wrist. Thankfully, a distraction in the form of a friendly werewolf/waitress appeared before her.

'Here's your coffee,' Ruby offered with a sympathetic smile.

'Thank you.'

'I like the wardrobe update,' she told her, her green eyes taking in the brunette's appearance with an approving glance.

Regina raised a confused eyebrow before her mind caught up with reality. 'Thanks, Ruby.'

'You should talk to her.'

The mayor narrowed her eyes. She had an idea who the woman was talking about but she remained quiet, wanting the confirmation before saying anything.

'Are you really going to act like you don't know what I'm talking about?' Ruby asked, looking unimpressed with her strategic silence. When she didn't receive a reply, she carried on, finally understanding how their stubbornness had kept the two friends apart for so long. 'Emma,' she clarified. 'You should talk to Emma about-,' she paused. She didn't even know how to begin to describe the mess they had made. She shrugged and continued with, 'about your feelings for each other. My baby bisexual heart can't take the sight of the both of you wasting your love just because you're too afraid of getting hurt.'

Regina knew she wasn't going to like the follow-up to Ruby's original statement but this was a shot of truth she hadn't been ready to receive. Furthermore there were so many things to unpack in her declaration. How did Ruby even know about her feelings for the blonde? They had had multiple conversations over the past couple of months but she couldn't recall one where this particular topic had come up. And 'feelings _for each other_ '? Did Emma also have feelings for her? Was that why she had pulled away so suddenly? And finally, _bisexual_? She voiced her surprise. 'You're bisexual?'

Ruby looked at her incredulously. 'Seriously? That's the part you're focusing on? But yes, I'm bi.'

Regina huffed. 'No, but it's the only part I'm willing to discuss. That's great, Ruby. Thank you for trusting me.' She smiled genuinely before she asked curiously, 'is there someone special in your life?'

The waitress shook her head to the negative. 'There isn't, but there is one in yours.'

The mayor sighed. There had returned to this subject again. 'What makes you think we can make a relationship work? We could barely have a decent conversation five minutes ago.' Her head instinctively turned to the empty space previously occupied by the blonde, a wistful smile on her dark lips.

'The chemistry you have is so natural and rare, do you know how lucky you are to have found somebody who sees you and accepts you for who you are?' Ruby questioned passionately. 'You're going through a rough patch but nothing's unsolvable. Look, we both know that when Emma gets scared, she...,' she trailed off, her expectant gaze landing on her friend.

Regina exhaled softly, recognising the point she was trying to make. 'She runs,' she completed. 'When Emma gets scared, she runs.'

'Exactly, and when there's a problem, how do you like to handle it, Mayor Mills?'

'By confronting it head-on,' she admitted. Although she had never considered her directness as a bad quality, she could see how it wasn't compatible with Emma's problem-solving skills.

Ruby nodded. 'I'm not saying you should change your strategy but maybe adapt it? Considering how strained your interaction looked, I'm guessing your usual techniques won't exactly lead to a breakthrough in your friendship.'

 _She has a point_ , Regina remarked to herself. They had been doing the same dance over and over again for months now and it wasn't leading anywhere. 'What if you're wrong?' She countered uncertainly. 'What if Emma doesn't have romantic feelings for me and I end up making a fool of myself?'

Ruby knew for a fact that the blonde wanted to be in a relationship with the other woman but she also knew it wasn't her place to disclose that information. She had already crossed a line by meddling in their affairs but she figured the sheriff would be too elated by her new romance to be mad at her. 'Then I'll slip some whiskey in your coffee until you don't need it to function normally and I'll be your venting or drinking buddy depending on how you're feeling,' she promised. 'Isn't it worth the risk though?' She asked. 'What have you got to lose?'

'Our friendship?'

The waitress hummed noncommittally, causing the mayor to narrow her eyes at her.

'What?'

'Let me put it this way,' Ruby started. 'If I'm right, you might end up dating the Saviour, and if I'm wrong, you might lose your current awkward friendship. No matter what happens, we both know she'll always have your back the same way you'll have hers. You care too much not to.'

Regina considered her words and even though she knew the other woman was right, there was still something holding her back. She sighed when she figured out what was in her way: her pride. Emma had essentially rejected her and taken off when she had practically begged her not to leave, and now she had to be the one to crawl back to her after the hurt she had put her through? 'I don't know, Ruby,' she said honestly. The idea that she had to ask the blonde to care about her over and over again didn't sit well with her.

'Listen, I don't know what happened between you two, but I know you. As much as I love Emma, we both know that woman's too scared to make the first move. If you want to be with her, you'll have to be the one to make it happen. It sucks that you have to chase her,' Ruby affirmed when Regina frowned. 'But this means that it's up to you. You can set the pace and decide whether or not you really want to be with her.'

Regina closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She weighed her options as if she had a choice in the matter. She was in too deep to even consider not running after the Swan woman and she knew she would take her armour down in a heartbeat if there was a sliver of hope that her feelings would be reciprocated. When she opened her eyes, she was met with Ruby's curious look. 'I hate it when you're right,' she told her.

The waitress' face broke into a grin. 'You're going for it?'

The mayor nodded. 'I'll never know if I never try, right?'

'That's my girl.'

* * *

Regina made it to her lunch break before she decided she needed to get out of her office. She had endured one meeting in the morning and even though the outcome thereof had been positive, all she could think about was Emma. Relief seeped into her body when she realised the rest of her day was free of appointments. With her belongings in her possession and her heart on her sleeve the mayor stormed in the police station. She made a beeline for the sheriff who was sitting on one of the desks and casually conversing with her father. 

'Regina,' David greeted, sounding justly surprised.

'David,' the brunette returned quickly. 'I'm going to steal your daughter for a couple of hours. I hope you don't mind.' She didn't wait for a reply before she grabbed the Saviour's arm and teleported them to her mansion.

'What's going on?' Emma asked the moment her feet touched solid ground. Her eyes flickered around the familiar foyer, confirming her suspicion regarding their destination.

'We need to talk,' the mayor responded calmly.

The sheriff huffed angrily. 'Can't this wait until my shift is over, Regina?' However good her intentions, Emma was growing tired of the other woman's habit of rearranging her work schedule as she pleased without consulting her first.

'No, it can't.'

Emma opened her mouth to voice her disagreement but Regina interrupted her. 'Ruby and I talked... about us.'

Those six words were enough to silence the blonde. Fear bubbled in her stomach at the thought of what her friend might've revealed to the mayor. 'What-' She cleared her throat. 'What did she say?'

Regina's gaze grew soft and she uncrossed her arms when she noticed the nervous look on Emma's face. 'I think you know.'

'I think I do,' the Saviour admitted. A heavy silence fell over them and Regina patiently waited for Emma to speak. She knew she could've made it easy and divulged her own feelings, but she had already made the first move by bringing them together and raising the subject. Even though she had no problem revealing her affection for the other woman, she needed Emma to be the first to do it, as if her staying would prove that she wanted her just as much as Regina wanted her.

'I need to hear you say it, Emma,' Regina told her quietly.

'I know,' Emma replied. 'I'm not running from this, not this time,' she promised. 'I'm just trying to come up with a speech that would make my mother proud because a Queen like you deserves nothing less than a heartfelt confession.'

Caught off guard by her words, the only thing Regina could say was 'Emma.'

Emma smiled at the brunette's speechlessness. 'I have feelings for you, Regina. Strong, _romantic_ feelings,' she specified. 'I panicked when I first realised I might like you more than a friend, you were there,' she remembered, referring to the incident in the mayor's office. 'But if I'm being honest, those feelings have been growing for a while now, I was too deep in denial to realise what they meant but they were there. The truth is I'm crazy about you and I don't want to run from this anymore.'

'What's changed?' Regina asked, because she hadn't missed the flicker of fear in the green eyes when she had mentioned their mutual friend.

'You,' the sheriff answered honestly. 'You stayed- well, you kidnapped me,' she amended with a smile. 'But you knew about my potential feelings and you stayed, so I stayed.'

Regina's heart was pounding. This was everything she had wished for, Emma was in front of her, saying she wanted to be in a relationship with her and all she wanted to do was dive in headfirst into their feelings, yet she could feel the hesitation taking over her body. She was standing on the ledge, looking down into the abyss, ready to fall but her feet were stuck on the ground.

'Regina?'

The mayor looked up at the blonde. The worry on her face was evident and she gave her a small smile, hoping it would offer her some comfort. She wanted to say something, anything, but her mind went blank and she couldn't utter a single word. She knew Emma was waiting for an answer after the confession she had just made but she couldn't untangle the mess of emotions inside her.

Emma seemed to notice her distress and swiftly walked up to her. 'What's wrong?' She asked, her voice laced with genuine concern. 

'Nothing,' Regina replied forcefully, as if saying it out loud would convince her own brain of the fact. She sighed. 'I don't know.'

Emma frowned confusedly. 'Okay,' she said slowly. 'Do you not feel the same way about me?' She asked without judgement, ignoring the stabbing pain in her heart at the possible rejection.

'I do,' Regina answered quickly, simultaneously alleviating some of Emma's pain.

'Do you not want to be with me?' The sheriff wondered, trying to decipher the older woman's feelings.

'I do. I'm not getting cold feet, Emma,' the brunette assured certainly. 'I want this, _I want_ _you_ , there's no doubt in my mind about that.'

It was as if the light had suddenly been turned on and the bigger picture started to materialise before Emma's eyes. 'You don't trust me,' she realised. It wasn't an accusation, it was merely an observation.

Regina scoffed. 'Don't be absurd. You know I trust you with my life.'

'But you don't trust me with your love,' Emma answered softly. Her heart broke at the thought that the brunette might be afraid of trusting others because of what she had done.

Regina wanted to protest that it wasn't true but the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. 'I want to though,' she offered weakly. She wanted to make this work, she really did, but the memory of Emma walking out her front door for the last time was seared into her brain and no matter how hard she tried, she knew she wouldn't be able to move on without getting the answers she had been looking for. 'Why did you walk away?' She asked the million dollar question that had been buried deep under layers of heartache, denial and confusion. 'Why did you walk away when you had feelings for me, when _you_ _wanted me_ two months ago?'

'I got scared,' Emma admitted. 'You were the last person I expected to fall for and I didn't know how to process my feelings. We were in a great place and I thought you'd be repulsed by me if you ever found out.' She exhaled softly. 'Believe me, I didn't want to leave, but I could feel myself growing attached and I knew if I stayed, I was only setting myself up for heartbreak.'

'So you hurt me instead?' The mayor asked with a raised eyebrow.

The sheriff clenched her fist. The conversation wasn't going the way she had hoped it would and she could feel her younger self retreating in her shell, but Emma stood her ground. She said she wasn't going to run and she meant it. 'It wasn't my intention,' she answered.

Regina noticed the building tension in the other woman's posture. Her next two words were on the tip of her tongue: _collateral damage?_ She knew she was reverting to her old ways and being antagonistic wasn't going to solve their issues no matter how satisfying it would be to see the shock on the blonde's face so she swallowed her bitterness. 'I'm not mad at you for leaving, Emma,' she clarified because although it had hurt, she could understand the blonde's reasons. 'I told you I would stay by your side unless my presence harmed you in any way,' she reminded. 'And apparently it did so I can't blame you for distancing yourself. What I _am_ mad about is you leaving without explanation. I asked you over and over again if something was wrong and why you were moving out so suddenly and you kept feeding me lies as if I would ever be dumb enough to believe them. I need you to _talk to me_ , Emma. Tell me the truth even if it's ugly. Tell me how you're feeling even if you think I don't want to hear it because _I do_. Don't you get it?' She asked, wishing Emma could see just how deep her feelings ran. 'I want to be there on your best and on your worst days, I want to watch you grow into the woman you want to be and be the first person you want to call when something happens, I want to wipe your tears away and hold you when you're feeling low, believe in you when you don't believe in yourself. I want to know how you taste, how you move, how our hands fit together. I want us to be the family we were meant to be and raise Henry and his future siblings together, if that's something you want as well. _I know you_ , Emma. You don't have to run from me.'

As far as speeches went, Emma was certain this one would manage to turn her own mother into Regina's biggest fan. The more the older woman's words sunk in, the more she recognised how foolish she had been to run away from Regina instead of towards her. Although she had been aware of the mayor's fondness for her, she never would have guessed that she harboured such strong feelings for her. 'Regina,' she breathed. All she could think about was how badly she wanted to kiss those dark, plump lips but she knew the other woman had raised some valid points she needed to address before any lip locking could occur. 'I shouldn't have lied to you,' she agreed once her brain started functioning properly again. 'But I need you to understand that talking about my feelings isn't exactly a walk in the park for me. I'm not good at this, Regina. Not everyone can speak as directly and smoothly as you,' she pointed out gently. 'But this is me trying. I don't want to keep secrets from you so next time I need to figure stuff out, can I just say I need time? It might take a while for me to get a hang of it but I _want_ to open up and be honest about myself, especially to you. It's scary as hell but I'm all in, Regina. You don't have to worry about that,' she promised and it suddenly occurred to her that the mayor was absolutely right. She knew about her troubled past - although the legality of the obtainment of that information had been questionable - her insecurities, her vices, she really _did_ know her. Every nook and cranny she was too afraid to share with her other friends, Regina somehow already knew about them. The pair had stuck together through hell and high water and the brunette understood her like no else - she was her best friend.

'You won't run away when you get scared or overwhelmed?' Regina asked carefully. She was aware that it wasn't realistic to ask the blonde to predict her own behaviour but knowing that she wasn't intending to pack up and leave at the first sign of danger offered her some reassurance. This was the doubt that kept gnawing at her because she couldn't follow Emma's logic that tied 'wanting someone' to 'running away from said person'.

Emma held up her small finger in the limited space between them. 'Pinky promise.'

Regina's heart swelled with affection at the gesture. She hooked her own pinky with the blonde's and smiled softly before using their intertwined fingers to pull her closer. She pressed a tentative kiss on the sheriff's lips and it didn't take long for Emma to respond. She raised her free hand to cup the blonde's cheek while Emma's found its way to the brunette's hips. They pulled away when they ran out of air and brown eyes fluttered open to meet the Saviour's emerald gaze. A dopey smile and flushed cheeks were on full display on the blonde's face and the mayor suspected she wore a similar expression. Emma leaned in and placed a quick kiss on the plump lips, unable to resist the temptation.

'I've been wanting to do that for a _very_ long time,' she confessed, feeling undeniably happy. The kiss had set her body on fire with desire and ecstasy, and she was certain she looked as delirious as she felt.

'So have I,' Regina admitted. 'I can't believe we spent the last two months being awkward and weird when we could've been doing _this_ ,' she mused.

'We've got plenty of time to make up for it,' the Saviour replied suggestively, wriggling her eyebrows for added effect.

'Actually, we don't,' the brunette said after a quick glance at her watch. 'Henry will come home soon and I would rather not scar him for life with our... activities.'

'We're only kissing,' Emma pointed out.

Regina stroked the sheriff's pink lips with her thumb, her eyes following the movement before they climbed up to meet the other woman's questioning stare. 'If we keep doing this, these won't be the only lips I'll be kissing, my dear,' she spoke sensually and Emma had to close her eyes to ensure her body didn't combust from the pent-up frustration. She had a feeling her mother wouldn't appreciate her cause of death being 'Regina's sex appeal'.

The brunette's chuckle reached her ears before she felt the cold air caress her cheek where Regina's hand used to rest. She shivered at the loss of contact and opened her eyes to see the mayor walking up to the mirror on the wall, assessing the damage done to her now ruined lipstick. Remembering what caused it only brought a fond smile on Regina's lips as she reapplied the cosmetic. Once she was satisfied with her look, she pocketed the lipstick and caught Emma's eyes in the glass. 'I'm proud of you, you know,' she stated out of nowhere.

The blonde smirked. 'For ravaging your mouth? Come over here and I'll gladly do it again.'

Regina rolled her eyes and turned around to face the woman. 'I'm talking about our previous conversation if your brain has recovered sufficiently from the hit of dopamine to remember it,' she clarified with a smug grin.

'Overselling yourself there, madam Mayor,' Emma remarked, denying the older woman's statement.

'I thought you were going to be honest with yourself,' the mayor countered with a raised eyebrow as she slowly approached the other woman.

'I said I was going to try to be honest with _you,_ ' the Saviour corrected with a self satisfied smirk. 'I can keep lying to myself for as long as I want.'

'Because denial worked so well for you the first time,' Regina deadpanned.

'Excellent point,' Emma conceded. 'Your kisses are-,' instead of using words like a normal human being, she did the chef's kiss. 'Pun intended.'

The brunette didn't know if she should be flattered or disturbed by the woman's lack of rationality and apparently, eloquence as well. She opted for the conflict-free option and said, 'thank you, I think.' She furrowed her brows as she tried to recall what she had been saying before the rude change of topic had occurred.

'You were talking about how proud you were of me,' the sheriff provided helpfully as if she had read Regina's mind.

The brunette narrowed her eyes because of course Emma would remember their previous conversation when it involved Regina praising her. 'Too bad you distracted me with your-,' now it was the mayor's turn to do the chef's kiss, albeit mockingly, before carrying on. 'Now I seem to have forgotten why I was so proud of you,' she lied.

'No, come on, Regina,' Emma pouted and grabbed the older woman's hand.

The second Emma's skin touched hers, Regina knew she was a goner. She stared at their intertwined fingers and marvelled at how perfectly they fit together. She sighed and wondered where her self-control seemed to run off to whenever the blonde was around. 'I was saying I was proud of you for talking to me about your feelings without leaving or lying. I know I ambushed you with the conversation and it wasn't easy for you, but I'm really glad we had this talk,' she said and she meant it. Even though their conversation had been cathartic for her, she knew it had nearly reduced the blonde into a ball of pure stress.

'You make it easier,' Emma told her honestly. 'I trust you, Regina, and not knowing how you felt about me was a roadblock, but now that I do know, I've got nothing left to hide from you.'

Regina squeezed her hand gently, wordlessly reciprocating the feeling before pressing her lips against the blonde's in a soft kiss. Too soon she pulled away and nodded towards the entrance at Emma's questioning gaze. The front door suddenly burst open and in came their son. The mayor rushed to give him a hug, releasing her hold on the sheriff's hand in the process.

'Hey, kid,' Emma greeted.

Henry's head shot up at the familiar voice. 'Emma! What are you doing here?'

'Getting kidnapped by your mother apparently,' she replied, a playful smirk on her lips. She saw the mayor raise an eyebrow at her from her spot behind the twelve-year-old.

Henry's eyes darted between his mothers before a sigh escaped his lips at the realisation that this was another one of their weird inside jokes. 'Are you guys dating?'

Two pair of eyes widened at the question and Emma exchanged a look with the brunette. 'I guess we are,' she answered slowly, hoping she had read Regina's signals right.

Regina frowned. 'You guess? Why don't you try that again and try to sound a bit more excited about it, won't you?' Apparently she hadn't read them right enough.

'I mean we kissed for the first time like half an hour ago,' the blonde defended herself. 'This is the fastest moving relationship I've ever been in.'

'You kissed?' Henry interrupted, looking slightly mortified at the thought of his mothers engaging in displays of affection. 'I'm going upstairs to do my homework so you two can discuss this by yourselves,' he declared before kicking his shoes off and storming up the stairs.

'No running in the house,' Regina called after him. 'What did I say? Scarred for life,' she told the sheriff pointedly after the young boy had slammed the door behind him.

'At least now we have a strategy to get rid of him whenever we want some alone time,' Emma commented with a grin as she sauntered towards the older woman.

The brunette hummed as their bodies got closer. 'And why would we want some alone time?'

'To do this.' Emma captured the mayor's mouth with her own in a slow kiss, relishing the way it made every fibre of her being come alive.

'And this.' She dragged her lips to the mayor's exposed neck and pressed them on her pulse point before she sucked on it, mindful not to leave a mark but keeping them there long enough to hear the groan escaping Regina's lips.

'And this.' Emma wrapped her arms around the older woman's waist and held onto her tightly, her head resting safely in the crook of the brunette's neck. Regina laughed at the koala-like grip and returned the embrace, soothingly running her fingers through the loose curls. 'I think Henry can handle a hug,' she teased.

'Of course he can but he'll want to join us and right now, I don't feel like sharing you,' the blonde mumbled against her lover's shoulder, missing the look of adoration on the mayor's face.

Regina kissed the sheriff's temple and softly answered, 'you don't have to worry, darling. I'm yours.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter to go! Thanks for sticking around this long, honestly, kudos to you!  
> As always feedback is appreciated.


	11. epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter! Thanks for reading and for making it this far! I had fun writing this and I hope you enjoyed reading it as well. Much love x

The month of August drifted into the quaint town of Storybrooke inconspicuously, bringing along warm, summer temperatures and the birthday of one true believer. It was exactly a week before the special day when Henry entered the kitchen with a question ready on his lips for the Saviour.

'Hey, Henry,' Emma greeted from the counter, a warm cup of coffee nestled between her hands. The mayor and her had been dating for three months, and even though they had already lived together in the past, they had decided to take things slow and have her keep her apartment. That didn't take away the fact that the blonde spent several nights per week at the mansion anyway, the previous night being a prime example.

'Good morning, Mum,' her son returned. 'Where's Mum?' He asked, referring to his other mother.

'Upstairs, getting dressed, why?' The sheriff narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the kid.

'I wanted to ask for a puppy for my birthday and I need your help,' Henry explained quickly.

'That's a great idea, kid,' Emma supported enthusiastically. This wasn't the answer she had been expecting but she was glad it was the one she received. 'We were thinking about going to the park later. You could ask her then,' she suggested, fully aware that being surrounded by nature put Regina at ease and if she was ever going to agree to their son's proposal, it would be when she wasn't wound up like a dancing ballerina music box.

Henry looked at his mother excitedly. 'So you'll help me?'

The blonde laughed. Unfortunately, Regina had no problem saying no to her, but to Henry? That was a different story. 'I think you'll have better luck on your own, kid.'

The soon-to-be thirteen-year-old pouted slightly. 'Got any tips?' He asked.

Emma pondered the question and sifted through her 31 years of experience in search for some useful advice she could pass on to her son. 'Have you ever heard of the door-in-the-face technique?' She had used that method countless of times when asking for favours and it had yet to fail.

Henry frowned in confusion and answered in the negative.

'You start with a big request that you know she'll refuse, and then you ask for your favour, that way your actual request will sound more reasonable than if you'd made it on its own,' Emma explained as simply as she could.

'And that works?' Henry questioned doubtfully.

Remembering all the times she had successfully 'borrowed' money from her older foster siblings, Emma nodded. Figuring that bringing up her past self's unpaid debts was not the best way to set an example, she settled for a more recent instance. 'Do you remember when I had to arrest Leroy for drunk and disorderly conduct during the first curse?' When her son nodded, she resumed her tale. 'I asked him to stop drinking because it was clearly disrupting his life and the town's peace. I knew he wouldn't agree and he didn't. But then I asked if he could lay off the bottle for a day and he did. Maybe it's because he saw it like a compromise or maybe he wanted to prove to me that he could do it, I don't know what it was but it worked.'

The young man considered her words and turned his head to his mother when he heard her speak again. 'Don't worry, kid. I've got your back, I'll talk to her about it.'

Hearing the familiar footsteps come down the stairs, Emma winked at her son before she stood up to make the mayor's coffee. Once Regina had entered the room, she handed her the mug and received a murmured 'thank you' and a sweet kiss on the cheek in return. The brunette deposited a soft kiss on their son's head as well as she passed him by and settled on the other side of the counter. Noticing the sudden silence in the room, she raised an eyebrow at the pair. 'What's burning?' She asked, when a smoky smell unexpectedly filled her senses.

Emma frowned confusedly before she remembered what she had been doing before Henry had come downstairs. Her green eyes widened and she turned around to the kitchen appliance that was currently burning their breakfast. She groaned at the ruined food before putting it on a plate. 'Waffles,' she answered with a dramatic sigh.

Henry wrinkled his nose at the supposedly edible meal. 'If you make me eat that, I'm reporting you to social services,' he warned, making Regina chuckle.

The blonde pouted. 'I was just trying to surprise you with breakfast since your mum always makes it.'

'I appreciate the gesture, darling,' the mayor assured. 'It's the thought that counts, right?'

'She might have thought to make us breakfast but I'm still hungry,' Henry commented. Emma aimed her spatula towards him and gave her lover a pointed look. Thoughts were useless when she had to feed a starving twelve-year-old.

'Why don't we go to Granny's?' Regina offered and their son's reaction was so enthusiastic that Emma briefly wondered if he had purposefully sabotaged her breakfast plans.

'Go brush your teeth, Henry,' the brunette ordered. 'We're leaving as soon as you're done.'

The young man frowned. 'Why? I haven't eaten yet.'

'To rid your mouth of the bacteria you accumulated over night,' Regina explained patiently and although her argument didn't seem particularly compelling to the boy, Henry did as he was told anyway.

Regina walked around the counter and placed her now empty mug in the sink before she approached the blonde. 'The coffee was delicious,' she told her honestly, hoping it would make the woman feel a bit better.

'You're just saying that to please me,' Emma replied grumpily.

'I'm not,' the brunette promised. 'Would you like to see for yourself?' She asked, an eyebrow raised.

Emma's eyes drifted towards the sink. 'But you-,' she paused when she saw the mayor subtly lick her lips. 'Oh,' she realised, perking up all at once. 'I mean, yes. It wouldn't hurt to have a taste,' she agreed, instinctively leaning forward to meet the other woman halfway.

Their lips met in a tender kiss and Emma savoured every taste she could get of the mayor - coffee with remnants of the minty toothpaste she had used that morning to brush her teeth. Her fingers danced on the older woman's hips until she gently pressed her hands down and pushed her body even closer to hers.

'Mums! I'm ready, let's go!' Henry interrupted their make-out session from the foyer. Having an idea what the lack of conversation between his mothers implied, he refused to enter the kitchen and walk in on whatever they were doing.

Regina smiled against Emma's lips and pulled away, making the blonde grumble in objection. She took a step back and held her hand out, which the sheriff took readily. 'Come on, let's go get some breakfast. I'm starving,' she teased.

* * *

Once their appetite had been sated, the family headed to the park. Both women had glanced fondly at the bench where they had sat only a couple of months ago before the time portal had sucked them both in.

They had been walking around for a good half hour, enjoying the beautiful nature and smiling politely at other park dwellers, when Henry deemed it appropriate to raise the matter of his wished birthday present.

'Hey, Mum,' he addressed the mayor. 'Can I get a dragon for my birthday?'

While Regina looked appalled by the request, Emma was sporting a surprised but proud expression. As far as unreasonable favours go, a dragon was so far out of bounds, Emma couldn't help but be impressed by their kid's imagination.

'Absolutely not,' the mayor refused certainly.

'Why not?' Henry inquired as if he actually wanted to know why it wasn't an option and the sheriff wasn't sure if he was playing a part or being genuinely curious.

'Dragons hardly make a good pet, dear. They're autonomous, dangerous, and uncontrollable.' Regina never would have guessed that she would one day have to explain to her twelve-year-old son why keeping a pet dragon wasn't compatible with their lifestyle, yet here she was, doing exactly that.

Despite his slight disappointment, his mother's answer had been expected. In fact, Henry had designed the question to make sure she wouldn't agree to it, just as his other mother had taught him, and even though he didn't actually want a pet dragon, it would've been cool if it had been possible. 'Okay,' he said, sounding defeated. 'Can I get a puppy then?' His own puppy dog eyes were on full display and he pouted at his parent for good measure.

Regina raised an eyebrow at her son. She had used that technique too many times on too many people to not see it coming a mile away and no matter how well-acted, she knew Henry was too smart to believe he could tame a dragon. She turned her gaze to the child's other parent and when Emma smiled encouragingly at her, she realised where Henry had learned the method. She narrowed her eyes at the co-conspirator before returning her attention to their son. 'Taking care of a puppy is a full-time job, Henry. You'll have to feed him, train him, take him out on walks - _daily_ \- and clean up after him when he does his business. He'll require your constant attention and affection,' she warned. As much as she would love the newest addition to their family, she had no intention of adopting a pet just to return it a few weeks later because Henry had changed his mind. 'If we adopt a puppy, he'll be your responsibility.'

'I'll treat him like a best friend,' Henry promised quickly.

Emma snorted at the comparison. 'More like a baby. I've been around enough babies to know that cleaning their crap is no fun at all. Are you sure you can handle it, kid?' She checked. Even though she did believe that taking care of a puppy would be a learning experience for him, she wanted to be sure he was committed to the task.

'You both have magic,' Henry pointed out. 'I swear I'll do the rest but you could clean up the dog poop with a flick of your wrist.'

Regina stared at their son as if he had grown two extra heads. 'Absolutely not,' she repeated her previous words. 'Picking up a dog's excrement is part of caring for him and you will handle that matter the same way you would if magic didn't exist. Magic isn't a tool to use whenever you feel like it, Henry. You agree with me, right, Emma?' She turned to her lover with support and was disappointed to see the torn look on the Saviour's face.

'Magic should always be practiced with caution, but what's the use of having it if you don't use it?' Emma wondered, partly agreeing with the mayor and partly challenging her statement.

'You use it to when it's absolutely necessary or when you're dealing with magical entities,' the older woman argued. 'All magic comes with a price,' she quoted her old friend. 'Are you willing to pay the price every time?'

The sheriff shrugged. 'I'm not going planning on relying on magic for every little thing in my life. If I did, you would've had waffles for breakfast this morning instead of Granny's pancakes,' she said with a chuckle. 'I do believe you can be more flexible about it.'

Realising her conversation with the blonde wasn't going to help her case, Regina turned to their son and said, 'your mother and I need to discuss the matter further, but this isn't a definitive yes or no.'

Henry nodded understandingly. 'Thanks, Mums,' he told them, genuinely grateful that they were even considering his request. Sensing that his parents needed some privacy, he detached himself from the group and headed towards the large body of water at the center of the park.

'Thanks for having my back,' Regina spoke sarcastically once their kid was out of earshot.

'You put me on the spot, what was I supposed to do?' Emma retorted defensively.

'Agree with me?'

The Saviour rolled her eyes. 'We both know that's not going to happen unless we do really share the same opinion.'

Regina knew that of course. It was one of the things she absolutely adored about the blonde: the fact that she would always speak her mind and didn't just mindlessly follow the herd. She sighed and muttered, 'I hate you.'

Emma grinned, not believing her one bit. 'No, you don't.'

'No, I don't,' the mayor conceded.

The blonde laughed at the easy confession. 'I love you.' Admittedly, the declaration had flown out of her mouth before she could think about it, but she had been feeling that way for a while and saying it felt right. 

Upon hearing those words, Regina stopped short and Emma looked back at her with raised eyebrows.

'Are you sure?' The brunette questioned quietly. Neither of them had expected Emma to be the first to say love and it scared the sheriff a little how much her heart was invested in their relationship, but seeing the older woman gaze at her with awe and hesitation, she knew there was nowhere else she would rather be. 

She retraced the steps that separated them and took Regina's hands in her own. 'I'm sure,' she promised. 'I'm in love with you, Regina, and a part of me is terrified to acknowledge it because once I do, it becomes real and breakable, but I'm done running from my feelings. I'm done running from you.' She brought one of her hands to the mayor's cheek and smiled when Regina leaned into her touch. 'You don't have to say it back if you're not there yet,' she assured. 'I just wanted to let you know-'

'I love you too,' Regina cut her off. Of course she did and as her eyes took in the look of pure happiness and love on her lover's face, she thought Emma had never looked so beautiful and free as she did in that moment. 

'You do?' Emma asked excitedly.

The mayor smiled softly at the child-like innocence exuding from the other woman. 'I do,' she promised.

The blonde smirked. 'Slow down there, madam Mayor. You've made it abundantly clear that you wanted to marry me, but don't you think it's still a bit early to exchange vows?'

Regina quirked an eyebrow. 'Someday,' she amended. 'Didn't I tell you would become a 'Mills'?' She reminded, and although she had meant it as a joke when she had first said it, she was glad her words were coming to life in an unexpected turn of events. 

Emma gulped nervously at the thought of marriage. It wasn't like she didn't want to marry Regina, because she did, but after only three months of dating - albeit the happiest three months of her life - she wasn't exactly in the right headspace to digest the idea of a lifelong commitment.

Noticing the change in the blonde's mood, Regina gently stroked the soft skin on Emma's hand with her thumb. 'Emma,' she called out, bringing the woman back from her thoughts. 'While I do intend to make you my wife someday, I also know this is a conversation you're not ready to have yet. I was only teasing you and I don't expect that level of commitment from you,' she reassured calmly, hoping she hadn't scared the woman away. 

Emma sighed in relief. 'Thank you for understanding,' she told her gratefully. 'And I do want to marry you someday, just not right now,' she informed honestly. Despite the brunette's levelled tone, she knew Regina was worried. 'I love you,' she said with a warm smile, soothing the other mother's nerves in the process.

Regina returned the smile and brought her free hand to the back of Emma's neck. 'I love you too,' she responded before connecting their lips. Both women poured their love into the kiss to convey the depth of their feelings that words could never describe.

'You were right,' Emma spoke when they pulled away, sounding slightly breathless.

Regina raised an eyebrow. 'When I said Henry should take care of the dog poop without magic like every other human dog owner does?' She asked hopefully. 

Emma laughed. 'That too,' she said. 'Although it can't hurt to give him a hand every now and then,' she added. 'It would literally only take a flick of our wrists to clean that shit up.'

'We'll talk about this later,' the mayor decided, sensing that the Saviour wanted to discuss a different matter. 

'Right,' the sheriff remembered. 'You were right when you said that home wasn't a place, but the people you love. After I moved out of your house, I had everything I ever wanted. I had my parents, my own apartment, a job I enjoyed doing but even then, I felt like I was missing something. I always thought that Storybrooke was my home, but I was wrong.' She stared into the brown eyes that had quickly become her favourite place to get lost in and smiled lovingly. 'It's you, Regina. It's Henry and you, **you feel like home**.' 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for tagging along and reading this story until the end! Let me know your thoughts on the story/chapter in the comments or on Tumblr @luversd!


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